How does this IC work?

[fonograph]

Its supposed to be volume control,in datasheet I found word "resistor ladder",I also found word "amplifier",it have alot pins,wtf is this thing and how does it work?

Is it amplifier? Is it some kind of volume control IC? Is it some weird active hybrid volume  morphing op amp gizmo?
Does it decrease volume by passive resistance like potentiometer or is this case of active circuit sorcery?

https://www.google.sk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.mouser.com/ds/2/294/NJW1195_E-69285.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiT0L7RjuveAhWD6qQKHXHlCw8QFjAAegQIABAB&usg=AOvVaw2OVh08J254k-drNO6JOyzq&cshid=1542996774066

[Benta]

It's a combination of analog switches and digital potentiometers (and associated control logic).

[SiliconWizard]

Yeah it is much like the PGA2320 except it has additional MUXes to handle 4 inputs.

The volume control itself is basically a resistor ladder and a series of switches. You can get a basic idea with this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logarithmic_resistor_ladder

[fonograph]

Is this passive stepped attenuator with bunch of various matched resistors combined with digitaly controlled solid state relays? Is there some active amplifier in the signal path? Some op amp-ish ouput buffer or something like that...