wherein the first number of bits are fixed; encode at least one energy ratio value of the frame based on a defined allocation of a second number of bits from the first number of bits; encoding the at least one azimuth value and/or at least one elevation value of the frame based on a defined allocation of a third number of bits from the first number of bits, wherein the third number of bits is variably distributed on a sub- band-by-sub-band basis. The apparatus caused to encode the at least one energy ratio values of the frame based on a defined allocation of a second number of bits from the first number of bits may further be caused to: generate a weighted average of the at least one energy ratio value; encode the weighted average of the at least one energy ratio value based on the second number of bits. The apparatus caused to encode the weighted average of the at least one energy ratio value based on the second number of bits may further be caused to scalar non-uniform quantize the at least one weighted average of the at least one energy ratio value. The apparatus caused to encode the at least one azimuth value and/or at least one elevation value of the frame based on a defined allocation of a third number of bits from the first number of bits, wherein the third number of bits is variably distributed on a sub-band-by-sub-band basis is further caused to: determine an initial estimate for the distribution of the third number of bits on a sub-band-by- sub-band basis, the initial estimate based on the at least one energy ratio value associated with the sub-band; spatial quantize the at least one azimuth value and/or at least one elevation value based on the initial estimate for the distribution of the third number of bits on a sub-band-by-sub-band basis to generate at least one azimuth index and/or at least one elevation index for each sub-band. The apparatus caused to encode the at least one azimuth value and/or at least one elevation value of the frame based on a defined allocation of a third number of bits from the first number of bits, wherein the third number of bits is variably distributed on a sub-band-by-sub-band basis may further be caused to encode on a sub-band-by-sub-band basis by determining a reduced distribution of