A method for analyzing a sample by mass spectrometry includes producing ions from the sample, delivering the ions to an entrance of a multipole, and applying oscillatory and resolving DC voltages to electrodes of the multipole. The oscillatory and resolving DC voltages cause the multipole to selectively transmit to its distal end ions within a range of mass-to-charge ratios (m/z's) determined by the amplitudes of the oscillatory and resolving DC voltages. The method further includes acquiring data representative of the spatial distributions of ions transmitted by the multipole at a plurality of consecutive time points, and deconvolving the acquired data to produce a mass spectrum. Deconvolving the acquired data includes processing the data to compress a dynamic range of intensity values in the data.