Priority information for higher order ambisonic audio data

A method of compressing higher order ambisonic audio data representative of a soundfield, the method comprising:

• decomposing higher order ambisonic coefficients of the ambisonic higher order ambisonic audio data into a sound component and a corresponding spatial component, the higher order ambisonic audio data representative of a soundfield, the corresponding spatial component defining shape, width, and directions of the sound component, and the corresponding spatial component defined in a spherical harmonic domain;
• determining, based on one or more of the sound component and the corresponding spatial component, priority information indicative of a priority of the sound component relative to other sound components of the soundfield;
• and
• specifying, in a data object representative of a compressed version of the higher order ambisonic audio data, the sound component and the priority information.

A device configured to compress higher order ambisonic audio data representative of a soundfield, the device comprising:

• means for decomposing higher order ambisonic coefficients of the ambisonic higher order ambisonic audio data into a sound component and a corresponding spatial component, the higher order ambisonic audio data representative of a soundfield, the corresponding spatial component defining shape, width, and directions of the sound component, and the corresponding spatial component defined in a spherical harmonic domain;
• means for determining, based on one or more of the sound component and the corresponding spatial component, priority information indicative of a priority of the sound component relative to other sound components of the soundfield;
• and
• means for specifying, in a data object representative of a compressed version of the higher order ambisonic audio data, the sound component and the priority information.