Sennheiser Headset / Volume (help ?)

Paul, when you look at the Playback tab of the Sound properties (like the screen shot below but yours should have a usb device), right click on the headset or usb device and select properties, then the Levels tab and set the volume.

Do the same thing on the Recording tab to set the mic level.

Double check that your music player application volume is up all the way. In Skype go to tools>options>audio settings.

Open the Communication tab of the Sound properties. You might want to check "do nothing" there unless you want audio levels lowered during communication.

That's all you can do in the computer. A usb headset has an onboard "sound card" and amp so its own hardware is mainly responsible for its volume.

still found that (even with the Speaker Volume Output) at 100%

Paul, the Speaker levels just affect the onboard hardware. The level you should adjust is that for your headset. It should appear on the Playback tab either as its own name, or if you did not have to install a driver for it then it will probably be under the generic usb name.

When you locate it, right click on it and then on the Levels tab, but also try any other tabs there for your headset and see what is available. For example if it gives you an eq option  you could increase volume by raising all of the eq levels.

If nothing you do helps then maybe the headset is defective. It should be capable of getting uncomfortably loud.

The headset gets its power from the usb port which only puts out a few volts. I would try plugging it into a port directly into the computer. If the ports are paired don't have anything in the other port of the pair because the pair shares power. Also the laptop should be plugged into current while testing. If on battery power one of the different power management schemes might reduce power to the usb ports.