I am using a "HP Pavilion Entertainment PC" laptop and Logitech computer speakers (Left, Right, and Subwoofer package).
My speaker set's green input is plugged into one of the two available outputs on my laptop. Changing which output I use doesn't seem to make a difference.

This is what's happening:
I power on my computer and wait for everything to load up. I then open up Windows Media Player 11 and start some music. The onboard speakers are silent, as they should be when I have something plugged in, but the music from my external speakers is kind of muffled and has no bass. I then click the speaker icon in my taskbar and make any adjustment to the volume at all. As soon as the volume has been adjusted in any way, all sound returns to normal until the next time I shut down my computer and start it up again.
My first thought was something was on mute, but I couldn't find anything muted when I looked. I should have no sound at all if it's muted anyway, right?
All my drivers are current.

I'm in the habit of making that volume adjustment every time now, but it seems like something is wrong, and that kind of nags the back of my mind. Any ideas?
Thanks

Helo and welcome to PC Help Forum.

I had problems with my new speakers a few days ago.

The final option for me and I think you should try it.

Ok go to device manager and scroll to your sound section and click on the + to open the list uninstall your sound card then reboot/restart your computer logon and let found new hardware reinstall it.While speakers are still connected to green port.

Weired my new speakers and woofer are Logitech

__________________
It is all in the hardware..........................................
Sources:
http://www.microsoft.com/en/gb/default.aspx
http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/Home/
http://www.petri.co.il/index.htm

PCHF Rules Scan Computer for Driver Updates Pre-Work

have you checked to ensure the cables are in correctly?

I triple-checked again, cables are secure.
It doesn't happen with the onboard speakers, and adjusting the volume on my taskbar very consistently restores proper sound, so I believe it is either something inside my machine or my Logitech speakers themselves.
I'll try the unistalling / found new hardware thing and get back to you all with the results.

Ok let me know how it goes,thankyou.

__________________
It is all in the hardware..........................................
Sources:
http://www.microsoft.com/en/gb/default.aspx
http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/Home/
http://www.petri.co.il/index.htm

PCHF Rules Scan Computer for Driver Updates Pre-Work

I tried un-installing the sound card drivers and letting my computer re-install drivers for it automatically when I restarted my computer.

That didn't work, sorry. I still get the same behavior.

Can you check in your settings that the green port is actualy set for the speakers?
Did you plug the speakers and woofer into speaker port while they were powered on?

__________________
It is all in the hardware..........................................
Sources:
http://www.microsoft.com/en/gb/default.aspx
http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/Home/
http://www.petri.co.il/index.htm

PCHF Rules Scan Computer for Driver Updates Pre-Work

Settings all lead me back to a speakers tab. There are two ports listed and both appear to be functioning correctly.
The muffled sound when first starting up seems to happen with either port that I am plugged into.

One cable runs between my computer and my subwoofer, the left/right speakers come out from the subwoofer. I plug the cable in while both computer and speakers are turned off.

Could it be some kind of safety measure to prevent ears popping when first plugging in headphones perhaps? I have not heard of that, just a shot in the dark.

No its not a mechanisim.I have logitech speakers that connect in the same way.
Did you uninstall the card and reboot/restart the computer?Or download and reinstall the sound card speakers while speakers are plugged in and powered on.

If you plugged speakers in while powered on you may of damaged the sound card.These speakers only come under speaker in the setup.

__________________
It is all in the hardware..........................................
Sources:
http://www.microsoft.com/en/gb/default.aspx
http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/Home/
http://www.petri.co.il/index.htm

PCHF Rules Scan Computer for Driver Updates Pre-Work

Yes. First I attempted to update the driver through the device manager, it said I had the most current version. Then I unistalled the driver and restarted my computer, it automatically re-installed new drivers when it came back on.
I'll try doing this again, just in case.
The speakers were plugged in and turned on while I did both of those things.

The computer and speakers are always off when I connect or disconnect the cable between them.

I've never experienced this before with other computers, and I bought this particular laptop new a few months ago, so my next guess is that there is a manufacturing defect in the soundcard. The speakers functioned correctly when I plugged them into a portable music player.

Thank you, by the way, for trying to help me figure this out.