sound really low - new pc

Hi, i was hoping some1 could help me. i got a new pc some time ago and the sound is really low(the volume bar is at max)

onboard soundcard: VIA High Definition Audio

ive downloaded the latest driver for the soundcard but the volume is still very low. i use headphones, i have some old headphones and a new pair both of them will go very load on other pc's (tested) but wont even go close to half as load on my pc . so then i thought maybe its the soundcard so i got a new soundcard and pluged it in, uninstalled the old sound card drivers and all that stuff but to my suprise the volume was still the same(very low), i then gave the soundcard to my dad since he wanted one and geuss what it goes super load on hes pc with my headphones in

let me know what other info you guys need, atm im using vlc to play my music since it has the option to play sound 400% louder but i dont like using vlc for music

 

Hi and welcome to MG. have you been into your sound properites via control panel and configured from there ??? You say you updated the driver are you sure it was for your partitcular motherboard and OS. Also have you the disc for your chipset drivers as the appropriate driver needs to be installed first and then update from there, And could you tell us the specifications of the Computer you are using and the Operating System. The more you tell us the more help you will get.

 

Sounds like you have older non powered speakers. They were used for a while on older pc's where onboard had an amp built in. Try different speakers on yours to test.

 

But why did it do the same with a new sound card then ?. (im going to search for my old desktop speakers to test don't know if that will help)

Toke: thx and ye it was for my motherboard and os, also i have all the cd's.
for the motherboard and stuff

os: windows xp home service pack 3
motherboard: Asus M3A78-VM (latest chipset installed)

i have 2 headphones 1. Sennheiser HD201 Stereo Headphone (using atm)
and then my old pair : TDK MP100

ive also tested with my brothers zboard GH-100 gaming headset

but like i said the sound is really load for the pci soundcard(the 1 i had that i gave to my dad) when i use my headphones on my dads pc

ive even did a format and installed just the sound driver for the pci soundcard when i had it to test it and it was still low volume ( so there weren't any driver conflicts ) ( i also disabled the onboard sound in the bios when i did this )

 

The newer soundcards need powered speakers, the older ones didnt. do your speakers plug into the wall?

 

ye the desktop speakers i have to search for uses a plug, still don't really understand how the pci cards sound is louder with my dads pc, it sucks they should put back the old settings for the sound, hmm this made me think if i can maybe overclock my soundcard so that it sends more power to my headphones will the sound be louder ?, don't even think i can overclock it lol, is there maybe a app that will make it louder so that it works like the old pc's for the sound. lol so are they going to make headphones that use battery's now for this sound prob roflmao