A week or two ago I bought a little cheapo ss amplifier from Argos for
fun/summer/curiosity/all day long radio, MP3s &c. and wuz so taken with it I
bought a couple more (similarly cheap) components from the same range to go
with it:

http://www.apah69.dsl.pipex.com/show/outbreak.JPG


(OK, I admit it - I was driven by the 3-way, multi-purpose remote control!!
:-)

Anyway, the clarity I'm getting from this little bugger from any number of
different sources is quite exceptional and I'm wondering if the 'digital
volume control' has anything to do with it?

I know the speakers (firewood horns - Pinkies) are 'on song' now and will be
contributing mostly to the sound quality and I am convinced that normal
(carbon wiper) volume pots do the sound no favours whatsoever, but is there
any reason the 'digital volume' (much like a computer soundcard, I guess) is
likely to be helping in a significant way?

(If it is, I wonder why more manufacturers don't use them?)