Thanks to both of you. Now will I need a receiver for these or just the cables you are listing?TheColbert

1. The Dayton Amp
2. The speakers
3. Speaker Wire
4. A 3.5mm Stereo Male to 2 RCA Male Cable (turns out the amp does not accept standard RCA cables directly as I thought)

Good luck!

Boz

I send NVIDIATI's recommendation, and would add that you will need an interconnect (the red/white RCA cable) to go from the audio output on the back of the television to the Dayton amp (there should be one analog audio output on the television, I checked, but make sure you confirm before ordering).

Good luck!

Boz

Sidburn19, your profile is set to private, would you mind either making it public or adding me so I can relive my terrible, terrible driving skills?

Just remember that when you're out there driving, so am I.

Happy gaming,

Boz

NVIDIATI is spot on, though I'd strongly recommend a quality pair of headphones for the price range you are specifying instead, as speakers of decent quality typically start around $200 (the Audioengine 2's and Swan come to mind). As an alternative to NVIDIATI's suggestions, you might also consider the M-Audio AV30s, which are well-reviewed and fit your price range.

If you absolutely must have a subwoofer, you're going to have to sacrifice some sound quality and go with a Logitech setup. If you're willing to put in an extra $30, you can go with the Cambridge Soundworks II, which I've heard and are quite a good value for a two-speaker sub combo. Normally I'd link items, but Gamespot is currently experience a "rel" bug.

Lastly, consider going used. You might be able to find a great pair of used studio monitors (such as a pair of Tannoys or JBL monitors) or the aforementioned suggestions on Craig's List or EBay in your price range.

Good luck!

Boz

Have you isolated the issue, meaning tried a different set of headphones using the same front jack? Have you switched between the front and rear jacks? Are you using updated drivers for the sound card? Have you gone into the software for the Asus card to adjust the volume as well as the Windows Volume software?

It would be very unusual for the card to be significantly quieter than your iPod. I'd keep tooling around to isolate the problem.

Good luck!

Boz

Open the case, unplug the audio cable from the motherboard, and plug it back in. Make sure it is connected securely: You could be getting a bad ground. Loose wires account for a lot of system noise.

It may also be coming from the plug itself at the front of the case, in which case you would have to remove the front panel and I/O assembly. Typically those assemblies have everything hotglued, which makes it a larger DIY project, but the issue may still be correctable.

I'd try the first option and see if it helps.

Good luck,

Boz

Um.. Yeah you can. Just select HDMI for video, and composite for audio.

Not that difficult, if you ask me :?ravenguard90

Good luck!

Boz

I've always felt that when one is ready to spend X amount of money on sound quality, self made is the way to go. It is the same deal as buying a gaming pc vs. building one. You get so much more bang for your buck it is ridiculous.

Heirren

All sound cards, including your motherboard, have a headphone amp; what varies is the level of quality.

In general you're going to want to look into the Asus Xonar line of cards, which are pretty much top-of-the-line at the moment. Their STX has significant shielding and a high-quality headphone amplifier section. Youmight also consider a USB headphone amp, like something from Fiio, given your budget if it's a $30 card you're looking at.

Consider carefully how much benefit you'll see depending on your headphones, as well. Some are more power-hungry than others.

Good luck,

Boz