audio compression prior to recording

[Emmett Andrews]

No, unless your converters are garbage, S/N isn’t an issue. Whatever you’re recording likely has less than 30dB of usable dynamic range. We’re not in 1984 anymore, where 30dB plus 18 dB of headroom would put you close to the noise floor. As far as your background noise, it makes no difference when you compress, the noise will raise. There is no benefit to compressing on the way in.