Introduction to Digital Audio, 2nd Edition

5

Compression

5.1 Introduction

Compression, bit rate reduction and data reduction are all terms which mean basically the same thing in this context. In essence the same (or nearly the same) audio information is carried using a smaller quantity and/or rate of data. It should be pointed out that in audio compression traditionally means a process in which the dynamic range of the sound is reduced, typically by broadcasters wishing their station to sound louder. However, when bit rate reduction is employed, the dynamics of the decoded signal are unchanged. Provided the context is clear, the two meanings can co-exist without a great deal of confusion.

There are several reasons why compression techniques are popular:

(a)  Compression extends the playing ...