Methods and apparatuses for encoding and decoding object-based audio signals

A method and an apparatus for encoding and decoding object-based audio signals are provided to position sound for each object audio signal, thereby providing more realistic sound through reproduction of an object audio signal. An audio decoding apparatus(150) comprises a multi channel binaural decoding unit(151), the first parameter converting unit(157), and the second parameter converting unit(159). The multi channel binaural decoding unit generates a virtual 3D signal by applying the virtual 3D parametric information to a downmix signal. 3D information like an HRTF(Head-Related Transfer Function) parameter is added to spatial parameter information so that the first parameter converting unit comprises binaural parametric information which can be used by the multi channel binaural decoding unit. The second parameter converting unit analyzes control information and additional information supplied by an audio encoding apparatus. The spatial parameter information is comprised based the result of the analysis.