Compressors variably quantize a frequency band based on what is considered to be imperceptible to human ears. Imagine a standup bass is sustaining a note. Tha

Compressors variably quantize a frequency band based on what is considered to be imperceptible to human ears. Imagine a standup bass is sustaining a note. That has a bunch of different resonances based on; strings, the wood of the bass, and the geometry of the room. In a live setting, those material properties create interference between the source of the sound and the reflection. But they're very quiet and can reverberate on the order of seconds. So most compressors will quantize the constructive/destructive dynamic range to the same value. In rock music this doesn't matter so much. But orchestras may even use the room geometry as an effect.