help with volume control

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I have 3 or 4 volume controls but I can't get the right mix to where it sounds okay coming out of the speakers.

I have the main volume knob on the speakers, the windows volume leveler, the creative volume leveler and the volume control for whichever playback program I'm using (WMP, iTunes etc.)

I have mine setup like a PA system. Volume on the speakers cranked full, with the subwoofer turned down slightly from this so it doesn't sound too 'boomy'. I use Winamp for music playback along with a VST hostbridge plugin which enables me to use a parametric EQ that's been gain compensated, (this is what the output level control on your EQ is for) in place of the crappy graphic EQ.

I use the volume control on my computer as my master volume,(Notebook with volume control pot just below the trackpad, on the edge of the computer) though you may have to resort to using the Windows volume control located in your system tray as your master volume control. --Keep this open but minimised for fast access.

The whole idea of running your system this way is so you are able to get the maximum headroom from your speaker system without overdriving the input of your speaker system and causing clipping to occur with a signal that is too hot. --Clipping = Distortion, which is signifies that you need to attenuate (reduce) your designated Master Volume accordingly.

Also something else to bear in mind if you listen to a lot of music on your computer, many newer recordings, as well as many remastered releases of older recordings tend to be remastered louder than they were as little as 15 years ago. Generally speaking, newer recordings as well as remastered old recordings will sound louder due to a higher level of audio compression added by the Mastering Engineer at the behest of record labels. This has been the general trend in the music industry for the past 10 years or so. -- Generally what this means is that I find myself using the volume control a lot when I have an extensive playlist of newer and older music that has not be remastered.

Hope this helps.

Just so I have this right, turn the knob on the speaker all the way up, set the knob at the back of the subwoofer just slightly on and use the volume control on Windows to adjust as needed?