Are you trying to compare the ample wattage of your speakers from your old stereo with 4watt satellites and a 20watt woofer? Well, maybe the old stereo speakers produce better, clearer, more precise sound to your ears.
 
What they CANNOT give you, (contrary to your 4.1 ACS54 system) is the feeling of that rocket coming to you from behing in Q3. Nor do the same in many movies - i.e. the scene in Independece Day where major cities are attacked by a rain of meteors coming from all directions - and you CAN tell where they are coming from!
 
By the way, what brand and model are those speakers in your old stereo?

exactly - if your preperly set up your speakers and the game you play can output proper sorrund sound, it is worth it

The old speakers are much better, but they need an amplifier anyways, but yeah the sound is just better. I had them hooked up to an old stereo and connected via the line out on my PC sound system. The speakers are manufactured by a company called Lloyds. They are the speakers from an old LP/8-Track system we got lying around.
 
As for the Altec Lansing speakers they just aren't good enough for me, I am gonna go looking around for something better, probably more expensive and more powerful. I like those Klipsch Pro Media speakers but the price is too high...Got any recommendations?

Not sure if this will float your boat or not, but I've been pretty happy with my Creative Inspire 4400 4.1 setup. They're not too expensive (like $60), and sound fine. I've used 'em with everything from the Audigy, nForce Soundstorm, AC97, and a few others. They sound good. Yeah, you can do better, but you'll also have to pay more. I have heard alot of people speak highly of some of Logitech's speakers though, but haven't really done much to really check them out. I personally don't care for Altec Lansing...they just don't sound right to me.

i have a rediculous stereo system that i need to hook up to my computer
my amp has digital in so hopefully i can get my sound card talking to it.
 
I have 1900 watts all together. this thing is loud.
i would love to hear my games in 5.1
 
but mostly i just want to listen to my music without burning it on cd first.

I too have a 5.1 sound system using the older Crambridge Soundworks DTT2200, they are actually pretty good considering they were only about $130 at the time of purchase.
 
However to be fair, most home amps, receivers can sound so much better, how about them old tube amps from Macintosh, no not Apple Computer but an audiophile company
 
Again however if you have the means to purchase an external 5.1/6.1/7.1 or even the new 8.1 amps/receivers and have the funds to purchase appropriate drivers for them, then you can have the best possible sound
 
Even a set of Klipsch 5.1's wouldn't sound as good but remember that most so-called multi-media speakers out there have a lot less power, more noise in the amp and are not matched to your listening environment

macintosh tube amps are the shit
such a nice warm sound with the LP's

I still have a vast vinyl collection, perhaps one of these days I'll get around to recording them onto a digital format