So I suppose the other option is to use a DSP either in Software e.g I think ROON has a software DSP volume control, or some sort of miniDSP box. Then I could have an all digital path with volume control to the BL18? At a price…
so its all down to the CXN doing volume control on a digital output?
It definitely does not do volume control on digital output. (I currently have a DAC and Schitt Magni headphone amp connected to TOSLINK on the CXN and the output is full volume.)