When using the headphone jack as a line out to an amp, I find that the ONLY way to make it sound right is to always open the Playback mixer on the laptop (rightclick the speaker icon in the taskbar) and then turn the faders there UP ALL THE WAY, including the Master.

Adjust volume only with the hardware controls on the amplifier.

If the line is not driven hard in this manner, the EQ of all sorts of things will sound rather thin.


--Mac