It sounds like you’re looking for something to add to your Dad’s system since you are already operating a 1050. Such devices do exist and are found either built into other devices, such as the 1050, or are ‘stand alone.’ Stand alone limiter/compressor/expanders can be pricey and are not easily integrated into a system unless it is a ‘separates’ system. What type of system are you trying to add this capability to?

If this is one of the usual all-in-one receiver/amplifiers, or even separates, it may be easiest to sell and upgrade. If one is using the TV audio, directly from a DVD or cable box, that’s a bit tougher. Without the feature in a receiver, you will have to add something in the signal path. Trying to do this for a 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 system might be cost prohibitive, hence my suggestion to upgrade.

Something you can try, if you are feeding stereo analog from a source and if you have a VCR sitting around not doing much. This may slightly degrade the signal, but gain the feature you wish. Put the VCR in the signal path from the source device you wish to limit and before the sound reproduction device, stereo L&R in and out. Place the VCR in ‘record’ mode even if there is no tape in the VCR, or put a tape in ‘paused.’ Most VCR’s will then automatically ‘ride gain’ on the volume level as when recording. Low levels will be boosted, high levels suppressed. You can try this to see if the sound doesn’t seem too crudely manipulated. If you leave this intermediary VCR ‘on’ but not in the record mode, sound may pass through without the automatic gain control activated.