A radio frequency receive coil (50) includes an antenna (52, 52') that is tuned to a magnetic resonance frequency to detect a magnetic resonance signal. Electronics (54) disposed on or with the antenna (52, 52') as a unitary structure include compression circuitry (102, 114, 202, 214, 230, 330, 430, 530) that compresses the magnetic resonance signal at a gain controlled by a gain control signal to produce a compressed magnetic resonance signal. The electronics (54) generate a reduced dynamic range representation of the magnetic resonance signal based on the compressed magnetic resonance signal. The reduced dynamic range representation of the magnetic resonance signal is communicated off the receive coil.