I am going to kill this computer

Because the hard drive on my new work computer is bigger (although still smaller than Ratatask's), I decide I would install iTunes (or rather not uninstall it when it came in with Quicktime) and maybe look into podcasts. And then I discovered the delights of shared iTunes libraries in a big Intranet. This is very cool and a way to sample free.

Or it would be if I could stand to listen to music on this thing.

The sound on the new PC is two floors below "Suck". I have the most current driver for the sound card (SoundMax integrated HD Audio). I have it set for "headphones". I have tweaked the equalizer every possible way. It still sounds nasty and tinny, even with the bass cranked up and the treble down. How hard does it have to work to make Enemymine (punk power trio with two basses and drums) sound tinny? This is with the same excellent Skullcandy Ink'd earbuds I was using very happily the in the morning on the old system before I plugged them into the new system in the afternoon.

Help? Please? Any ideas?

(And you have no idea how hard I had to work to do this without a single F-bomb.)