Low bitrate audio encoding/decoding scheme with common preprocessing

An audio encoder comprises a common preprocessing stage, an information sink based encoding branch such as spectral domain encoding branch, a information source based encoding branch such as an LPC-domain encoding branch and a switch for switching between these branches at inputs into these branches or outputs of these branches controlled by a decision stage. An audio decoder comprises a spectral domain decoding branch, an LPC-domain decoding branch, one or more switches for switching between the branches and a common post-processing stage for post-processing a time-domain audio signal for obtaining a post-processed audio signal