Sound - not bright enough!

[caveman]

I bought a Videologic Sonic Explosion sound card and a small 2.1 speaker package from Logitech. I know at 50 quid each they are not top of the range, but I still had higher expectations.
The sound is nowhere near as bright as either of the two stereo set ups in the house. Do these 2.1 speaker packages bear too much emphasis on bass, because the frequency range was supposed to have been 35 - 20K.
Would the weakness come from the newness of either the card or speakers, or is there a way to configure them that I am not aware of.

[patrickp]

Lack of brightness is an accusation often levelled at good quality sound equipment.

The reason is that people are accustomed to systems where there is some distortion at higher frequencies thus making them more noticeable. People get so used to this, they don't realise how unpleasant it also is (and potentially damaging to your hearing).

The real criteria when listening to good quality equipment are clarity and transparency: there will be much more detail to the higher frequencies, but because the sound is less distorted, it doesn't impose itself on your awareness so much.

Having said that, I have no idea whether the equipment you are talking about is actually better quality, or simply doesn't have as good a high frequency response. But the sort of brightness that forces itself upon you is _not_ the sign of good quality equipment.