In the ''bandwidth-limited regime'' (<math>\rho > 2b2 b/2D</math>, ''i.e.'' the ___domain of non-binary signaling), the effective coding gain <math>\gamma_\mathrm{eff}(A)</math> of a signal set <math>A</math> at a given target error rate <math>P_s(E)</math> is defined as the difference in dB between the <math>SNR_\mathrm{norm}</math> required to achieve the target <math>P_s(E)</math> with <math>A</math> and the <math>SNR_\mathrm{norm}</math> required to achieve the target <math>P_s(E)</math> with M-[[Pulse-amplitude modulation|PAM]] or (M×M)-[[Quadrature amplitude modulation|QAM]] (''i.e.'' no coding). The nominal coding gain <math>\gamma_c(A)</math> is defined as
