Short for compressor/expander. A compander is a device for noise reduction in audio devices such as tape recorders. The compander will reduce the dynamic range of the signal before sending it to be recorded. The compression makes the softer passages louder so the dynamic range recorded on the tape is less than it would be if it were not compressed. Then, on playback of the tape, the signal is expanded; that is, the softer passages, which are too loud on the tape, are reduced in volume to match the original signal, restoring its dynamics. In the expansion, which is similar to a fast-acting AVC, the noise introduced by the tape recording process is effectively reduced because the music, when loud, masks the noise, and during the soft passages, the volume is turned down, making the noise comparatively softer. Digital companding allows a device to achieve greater apparent dynamic range with a lower bit depth. See dbxSeedBx, Dolby noise reduction.