why is my card playing so quiet

[delah]

i have a new emu 0404 and when i hook it up to my desktop speakers it plays so quietly. just listening to a song on real player or windows media player i cant get the volume to go up high at all. i've tried putting the levels up using patchwork, the software which comes with the card, and adjusting the levels using the speaker volume icon. and i tried increasing the device volume in the control panel. ive had no problems running the card through my stereo, but i need to be able to use my decktop speakers as well, but not at the same time...
is the card just not compatible with me speakers or am i missing something?

any help would be great

[TimOBrien]

What do you mean "desktop speakers"???

Do they have an amplifier built into them? A soundcard cannot drive just bare speakers.

If it works ok hooked up to your home stereo, then I'd have to assume that something is wrong with the desktop speakers.

[delah]

you're right, there is no amplifier for my computer speakers. i didnt realize that i wouldnt be able to use them since the card my computer came with powered them. well, live and learn. is there a way that i can still have my original computer's sound card installed along with my mew pci card and then switch between the two?