companding

[kuh m-pan-ding]

noun

a process in which the dynamic range of a signal is reduced for recording purposes and then expanded to its original value for reproduction or playback.

Origin of companding

First recorded in 1965–70; compand(er) + -ing¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018