I read that the attenuation in dCS DACs is analog, i.e. no bits are dropped. Hence zero distortion. Or at least no signal loss from the volume switch. Does that sound right / make sense?
Cheers,
Jeff
Once again just use the search function as it’s been covered many times already
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Weird thing:
It’s much quicker for someone to type either:
“Yes, it’s analog”
or
“No, it’s not analog – it happens digitally”
than for me to dig through 10 search results where the answer is buried w/ a lot of other info.
By “someone” I mean someone who feels like being helpful.
Thx!
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Yes but in doing it yourself you will have also found lot’s off other information about how the volume work’s, as to be fair it’s been covered so many times now.
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Even though what you say is true, it is not the usual way people respond to questions on this forum, hence the reaction to your post.
Having said that, it is a long time I have been on the forum and when I red the question I had not the answer in my mind and I still don’t have…I dis not use the search function either, I am too lazy for that…
Last thing, how many times people ask whether or not they can replace fuse by a better fuse ? How many posts on power cables, external clock etc…
It is impossible to avoid some redundancy on a forum…
I get what you are saying, but that’s what the search feature is for.
I wasn’t trying to be nasty or anything, it was more that there’s loads off information already been posted that’s easy to find by just searching " volume control " that’s all.
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No worries, Dunc – I take your point. It’s just that sometimes I figure a fairly simple Y or N question is quicker than plowing through all the info – which I don’t deny could be educational. My intent is not to dish out the forum equivalent of spam.
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That’s correct.
But it’s a little more sophisticated than just dropping bits off a standard PCM bit depth. A search, as Duncan suggests, will point you to more detailed explanations.
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A question being posed as a Y/N thing doesn’t mean the answer will be. Often the answer is dozens and dozens of interesting and informative posts. And sometimes even less clarity than before, but lots of rich discussion 
Makes me wonder if I’d actually enjoy the world being simpler, and more yes/no. I suspect not.
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Hi Guys,
Just to prevent this getting into a bit of a mess.
Audio data is either 16 or 24 bit on the whole (sometimes it is packaged as 32 bit but even then it is usually 24 bit and sometimes it is 16 bit but packaged as 24 bit) however we internally work at 32 bit which gives us more than enough processing resolution to deal with volume control in the digital domain without losing resolution down to well below -60db so using the volume control on our DACs isn’t a limitation.
(I also tend to use the “old” mapper - which is Mapper 2 - which seems to be flying in the face of accepted wisdom too…)
Basically - we don’t throw away bits… 
Best Regards
Phil
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Thx, Phil. I had a feeling it might be something like that. Makes sense.
Now shall I return to my terrible faux pas of asking Y/N questions? Maybe!
Jeff
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There it is! End of the forum! 
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I know … I was debating whether to post that or not.
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This remains, easily, one of the best communities on the net.
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