Audio card volume low and powered speakers volume hi or visa versa??

[toadz01]

Audio card volume low and powered speakers volume hi or visa versa?? I flat out don't remember. 2 computers, one Lenova ThinkCentre Windows 10, sound on mother board and a 486, Windows 2000 Pro, Sound Blaster Live Value audio card. Speakers are Altec Lansing ACS 48 2.1, 40 watts to sub woofer, 20 watts to each satellite. Both computers are plugged into the ACS 48 (it has 2 input jacks). Should I be out putting the computers audio to the ACS 48 at a low volume and cranking the ACS 48 volume? Or visa versa?Any help helps!!toadz

[Riley Casey]

From a signal to noise perspective running the sound card just below full output and keeping the power amp level lower should yield best results. I'm not familiar with most of the model numbers you've listed so YMMV. If running the computer output level up so high that you can barely turn up the volume control on the amp then that consideration moves to the head of the line. Not sure this applies in your case, again not know the model specifics but the built in sound hardware on many / most Windows machines is pretty poor so you may get better results with an outboard USB convertor.