I keep adjusting them as I can (considering it is under the lining) but it is an all the time thing so I am pretty discontent and it keeps getting harder and harder. I need the buckle at the side as I have a high arch. Volume controls worked fine when tested out of the package, mute/pause also works. Mine arrived in a simple cardboard box with no instructions. I like that price and construction I want to give the perspective of comparison to a popular brand. Also, these are warm! Ok, so these headphones are actually way better than I expected! Beware when choosing them. I have the headset, my wife can listen to the tv at a normal range rather than very high volume that I needed.