Merging Audio Signals with Spatial Metadata

An apparatus configured to mix at least one first audio signal, accompanied with associated at least one first parameter, and at least one second audio signal, associated with at least one second parameter, where the apparatus comprises a processor configured to:

• generate a combined audio signal based, at least partially, upon the at least one first audio signal and the at least one second audio signal, where the combined audio signal comprises a fewer number of channels than a combined number of channels of the at least one first audio signal and the at least one second audio signal;
• and
• generate a combined parameter, where the combined parameter is based, at least partially, on the at least one first parameter and the at least one second parameter, where the combined parameter comprises one or more first elements based on the at least one first parameter and comprises one or more second elements based on the at least one second parameter,
• where the combined parameter is associated with the combined audio signal.

A method comprising:

• mixing at least one first audio signal and at least one second audio signal, where the at least one first audio signal comprises at least two first audio channels and at least one first parameter, and where the at least one second audio signal comprises at least one second audio channel and at least one second parameter;
• and
• generating a combined parameter based on the at least one first parameter and the at least one second parameter, where the combined parameter comprises one or more first elements based on the at least one first parameter and comprises one or more second elements based on the at least one second parameter;
• and
• where a combined audio signal is generated with a fewer number of channels than a combined number of the channels of the least one first audio signal and the at least one second audio signal, and where the combined parameter is associated with the combined audio signal.