WDRC
Pronunciation: W-D-R-C (spelled out)
Also written as: WDRC — Wide Dynamic Range Compression
A hearing aid signal-processing strategy that applies different amounts of amplification across a wide range of input levels to map sounds into a listener's reduced dynamic range.
Full Definition
Wide dynamic range compression (WDRC) is a non-linear amplification strategy used in modern hearing aids to provide low gain for loud inputs and higher gain for soft inputs, effectively fitting acoustic information into the listener's narrowed dynamic range. Unlike peak clipping or output limiting, WDRC attempts to preserve sound quality across varying environments. The strategy is characterised by a low compression threshold, meaning compression is activated at relatively soft input levels. Editors should expand the abbreviation on first use and avoid confusing WDRC with automatic gain control (AGC), a broader category under which WDRC falls.
Usage
Usage note: Expand to 'wide dynamic range compression' on first use. Editors should not substitute 'AGC' for 'WDRC' without author confirmation, as AGC is a broader category.
In Context
- "The new behind-the-ear device used WDRC to improve audibility of soft consonants without making speech uncomfortably loud." — Hearing aid product review
- "Wide dynamic range compression (WDRC) settings were verified through probe-microphone measurement." — Clinical fitting protocol