compression in audio

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

a dynamic range processing technique that automatically reduces the volume of loud signals and may boost quieter ones, narrowing the gap between the loudest and quietest parts of a recording; audio compression is distinct from data compression: it is a signal processing operation performed by a compressor device or plugin, controlled by parameters including threshold (the level above which compression is applied), ratio (how much gain reduction is applied), attack and release (how quickly the compressor responds), and makeup gain; used subtly, compression controls dynamics and adds presence and punch; used heavily, it contributes to the loud, dense, in-your-face sound of contemporary commercial recordings; over-compression is associated with the loudness wars of the 2000s in which albums were mastered at maximum loudness at the cost of dynamic range