Other Uses
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A compressor is sometimes used to reduce the dynamic range of a signal for transmission, to be expanded afterward. This reduces the effects of a channel with limited dynamic range. See Companding.
Gain pumping, where a regular amplitude peak (such as a kick drum) causes the rest of the mix to change in volume due to the compressor, is generally avoided in music production. However, many dance and hip-hop musicians purposefully use this phenomenon, causing the mix to alter in volume rhythmically in time with the beat.
A compressor is used in hearing aids to bring the audio volume into the listener's hearing range. To enable the patient to perceive the direction from which the sound is coming, binaural compression may be required.
Compressors are also used in some active sound protection earmuffs, to allow sounds at ordinary volumes to be heard normally while attenuating louder sounds. This allows, for example, shooters wearing hearing protection at a shooting range to converse normally, while sharply attenuating the much louder sounds of the gunshots.
Read more about this topic: Dynamic Range Compression