Does the volume control effect sound quality?

Phd, you are correct. Start with the right value. Only then do you switch things up, if you will pardon the expression :), with better quality.

Dracule1, both. First, the site commits a web 1.0 error, that of endless rant/scrolling. Second, many of the conclusions don't seem to arise in a scientific manner, instead are based on deductions without understanding of the math behind them that is at play in each instance.

I agree, Atmasphere. There is a lot of ranting and raving on that site. Arthur is all subjective. I think it's an outlet for him to unleash his pent up frustrations in high end audio. Can't blame him for doing that.

Agreed! :)

I think some folks who are familiar with the Manley Steelhead, would say that it's a respectable piece.
As good as it is,it's not as clean as the Lightspeed Attenuator that I am using now.

Very easy to hear the loss of detail when running my Esoteric cd/sacd player into the Steelheads line input and running the variable(volume control)outs to my power amps(Acoustat servo tube OTL).

Using Antony and Johnstons the Crying Light, for example, his multi tracked voice and background instruments are no longer buried when I listen with the Lightspeed in the chain.Details which I never knew were missing are now easily heard.Sounds cliched, but it's what I am enjoying now.

I also decided to try the Manley phono stage in fixed mode to the Lightspeed, and again the sound was better.

Had I never tried the Lightspeed I would still consider the sound of my sources to be quite respectable.I am not denegrating the sound of the Steelhead ,used as a linestage, but others have stated that it sounds it's best when used as just a phono stage.So is it's volume control the culprit?I'm now thinking yes.

My take on the Lightspeed is that it imposes less of a sonic smudge on the music as some other volume controls do.
I've had some fine preamps in the past and really enjoyed my time with the MP3,S-30 from Atmasphere running a stacked pair of Quad 57's.

Unfortunately,the MP3 is true balanced, so I wouldn't have been able to properly impliment a Lightspeed and bypass it's volume control.I will say that the MP3 made balanced cable comparisons a thing of the past.

But in the single ended world of the rest of the pre amps that I have owned,I have to say that I'm hearing more detail now using the Lightspeed than I did with any of the other pre amps,all of which cost ten times or more than the Lightspeed and many with some very good resistor ladder volume controls.

Does the volume control effect sound quality?
My answer is yes.

YES a lot and so is aging of such. Replacement of one in 15 years+ may drammatically improve the sound.