Companding noise reduction system with simultaneous encode and decode

A companding noise reduction system for processing sonic frequencies while minimizing distortion thereof, said system comprising:

• an encoder for compressing an input signal representative of the sonic frequencies to be processed, wherein the encoder includes a first variable gain element which receives the input signal and develops as an output signal a compressed signal which is delivered to a transmission path;
• a decoder for expanding the compressed signal, wherein the decoder includes a second variable gain element which receives the compressed signal from the transmission path and then develops as an output signal the processed sonic frequencies;
• and
• a single feedforward sidechain which is electrically coupled to the encoder and the decoder, wherein a control signal is developed by the single feedforward sidechain in response to the input signal and utilized to thereby control gain of the first variable gain element and the second variable gain element.