Compressor

Definition

A dynamic processor that can automatically control the gain of a signal.

Once the incoming signal has reached a predetermined threshold, the compressor reduces the output of the signal by an amount determined by the ratio control. Effectively this is like a fraction, so if a ratio of 2:1 is set the amount of signal above the threshold will be halved, a ratio of 4:1 means it is quartered and so on.

Compressors also have an attack control, which determines how quickly the compressor reacts, and a release control, which determines how quickly the compressor stops compressing once the signal has gone below the threshold again.