Powerpoint Audio Issue

[MeterReader]

Hey all, having a slight issue with powerpoint playing audio through a set of speakers. We are using PowerPoint on a laptop hooked up to a projector for a presentation. Our presentation contains music and sound effects, and they play just fine through the laptop. However, when we connect the laptop to a set of speakers (any set, we've tried multiple), all of the audio files have a delay - and for our short, time sensitive sound effects, this pretty much destroys their usefulness. Playing through the laptop itself is difficult because of the volume limitations.

For a better description, our presentation is a variant of the game show "Family Feud", and the particular problems we are having are with the buzzer for an incorrect answer and the ding for a correct answer (ALL sounds through PowerPoint have this issue, these particular sound effects are the ones that are deal breakers, however). The sound begins at an extremely low volume, and although it eventually gets to the proper sound level (about half a second after the effect begins) by that time the sound effect is nearly over, ruining the impact of the effect. The sound fires off properly and the timing is fine, it's the output of the sound that is the issue.

This problem only occurs when using the speakers, happens with multiple (three different sets) speakers, and only with PowerPoint. Specs:

Microsoft PowerPoint 2010
Sony VAIO VPCF115M Laptop
Windows 7
Dell Speakers/Subwoofer Connected through 1/16th jack.