Universal Audio LA-610 Channel Strip - Manual (Page 19)

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in response to the input signal level. A compressor/limiter "rides gain" like a recording
engineer does by hand with the fader of a console: it keeps the volume up during softer
sections and brings it down when the signal gets louder. The dynamic processing that
occurs at ratios below 10 or 12 to one is generally referred to as compression; above that
it's known as limiting.
Modern day compressors offer a great degree of programmability and flexibility while
older devices such as the 1176 and the LA-2A are more straightforward in their design.
Perhaps it is this fact that has contributed to their appealing sound and the longevity of
their popularity.