Abstract: A method of encoding an audio signal for transmission and/or for storage includes changing a digitized audio signal based on a selected signal changing criteria. The changed digitized audio signal is encoded, based at least on an available data rate for transmitting and/or storing the audio signal, for reducing an amount of data associated with the changed, digitized audio signal. The reduced-data audio signal is then evaluated for determining whether a code overload condition exists. If a code overload condition exists, another signal changing criteria is selected. A time behavior and/or a spectral distribution of the digitized audio signal is recursively changed based on the another signal changing criteria before the amount of data associated with the digitized audio signal is reduced so that deterioration of reduced-data audio signal is not perceptible when the coded signal is decoded.