Larry,
On the same subject, Gold Wave does a good job and has the additional advantage that you can set thresholds for when the expander or compressor kicks in. I have used this to make CD's from various sources and of different levels and to reduce the dynamic range for use in the car. Commercial CD's, depending on the type of music, have tremendous dynamic range to the extent that if you set the radio volume control to a plesant level on the loud passages, the soft passages are not above the noise level in the vehicle. By reducing the dynamic range the music is listenable without blasting.
Adjusting the levels and the ranges are very desirable things to do depending on the application. Since this is done digitally, I find that if there is any noise or distortion added, I have never been able to hear it.
Walt