Audio encoder for encoding a multichannel signal, comprising: a linear prediction domain encoder; a frequency domain encoder; and a controller for switching between the linear prediction domain encoder and the frequency domain encoder, wherein the linear prediction domain encoder comprises a downmixer for downmixing the multichannel signal to obtain a downmix signal, a linear prediction domain core encoder for encoding the downmix signal and a first joint multichannel encoder for generating first multichannel information from the multichannel signal, wherein the frequency domain encoder comprises a second joint multichannel encoder for generating second multichannel information from the multichannel signal, wherein the second joint multichannel encoder is different from the first joint multichannel encoder, wherein the controller is configured to perform the switching such that a portion of the multichannel signal is represented either by an encoded frame of the linear prediction domain encoder or by an encoded frame of the frequency domain encoder, wherein the linear prediction domain core encoder comprises an ACELP processor, a TCX processor, and a time domain bandwidth extension processor, wherein the ACELP processor is configured to operate on a downsampled downmix signal obtained by downsampling, wherein the time domain bandwidth extension processor is configured to parametrically encode a band of a portion of the downmix signal removed from the ACELP input signal by the downsampling, wherein the TCX processor is configured to operate on the downmix signal not downsampled or downsampled by a degree smaller than the downsampling for generating the downsampled downmix signal operated on by the ACELP processor, and wherein the TCX processor comprises a first time-frequency converter, a first parameter generator for generating a parametric representation of a first set of bands, and a first quantizer encoder for generating a set of quantized encoded spectral lines for a second set of bands. a linear prediction domain encoder; a frequency domain encoder; and a controller for switching between the linear prediction domain encoder and the frequency domain encoder, wherein the linear prediction domain encoder comprises a downmixer for downmixing the multichannel signal to obtain a downmix signal, a linear prediction domain core encoder for encoding the downmix signal and a first joint multichannel encoder for generating first multichannel information from the multichannel signal, wherein the frequency domain encoder comprises a second joint multichannel encoder for generating second multichannel information from the multichannel signal, wherein the second joint multichannel encoder is different from the first joint multichannel encoder, wherein the controller is configured to perform the switching such that a portion of the multichannel signal is represented either by an encoded frame of the linear prediction domain encoder or by an encoded frame of the frequency domain encoder, wherein the linear prediction domain core encoder comprises an ACELP processor, a TCX processor, and a time domain bandwidth extension processor, wherein the ACELP processor is configured to operate on a downsampled downmix signal obtained by downsampling, wherein the time domain bandwidth extension processor is configured to parametrically encode a band of a portion of the downmix signal removed from the ACELP input signal by the downsampling, wherein the TCX processor is configured to operate on the downmix signal not downsampled or downsampled by a degree smaller than the downsampling for generating the downsampled downmix signal operated on by the ACELP processor, and wherein the TCX processor comprises a first time-frequency converter, a first parameter generator for generating a parametric representation of a first set of bands, and a first quantizer encoder for generating a set of quantized encoded spectral lines for a second set of bands.