Stereo coding and decoding methods and apparatus thereof

A method of encoding input signals (l, r) to generate encoded data ( 100 ) is provided. The method involves processing the input signals (l, r) to determine first parameters (phi1,phi2) describing relative phase difference and temporal difference between the signals (l, r), and applying these first parameters (phi1, phi2) to process the input signals to generate intermediate signals. The method involves processing the intermediate signals to determine second parameters (alpha; IID,rho) describing angular rotation of the first intermediate signals to generate a dominant signal (m) and a residual signal (s), the dominant signal (m) having a magnitude or energy greater than that of the residual signal (s). These second parameters are applicable to process the intermediate signals to generate the dominant (m) and residual (s) signals. The method also involves quantizing the first parameters, the second parameters, and dominant and residual signals (m, s) to generate corresponding quantized data for subsequent multiplexing to generate the encoded data ( 100 ).