Method for the coding of side information required for coding a Higher Order Ambisonics representation of a sound field, denoted HOA, with input time frames of HOA coefficient sequences, wherein dominant directional signals as well as a residual ambient HOA component are determined and a prediction is used for said dominant directional signals, thereby providing, for a coded frame of HOA coefficients, side information data ( ζ ( k - 2)) describing said prediction, and wherein said side information data ( ζ ( k - 2)) can include: - a bit array (ActivePred) indicating whether or not for a direction a prediction is performed; - a data array (PredDirSigIds) whose elements denote, for the predictions to be performed, indices of the directional signals to be used; - a data array (QuantPredGains) whose elements represent quantised scaling factors, said method including the step: - providing (19; 34, 384) a bit value (PSPredictionActive) indicating whether or not said prediction is to be performed; - if no prediction is to be performed, omitting said bit array and said data arrays in said side information data ( ζ ( k - 2)); - if said prediction is to be performed, providing (19; 34, 384) a bit value (KindOfCodedPredIds) indicating whether or not, instead of said bit array (ActivePred) indicating whether or not for a direction a prediction is performed, a number (NumActivePred) of active predictions and a data array ( PredIds ) containing the indices of directions where a prediction is to be performed are included in said side information data ( ζ ( k - 2)), wherein said bit value (KindOfCodedPredIds) indicating that a number (NumActivePred) of active predictions and an array ( PredIds ) containing the indices of directions where a prediction is to be performed are included in said side information data ( ζ ( k - 2)) is provided only in case NumActivePred ≤ M M , where M M is the greatest integer number that satisfies ┌log 2 ( M M )┐+ M M · ┌log 2 ( O )┐ < O, O = ( N + 1) 2 , and wherein N is the order of said HOA representation. - a bit array (ActivePred) indicating whether or not for a direction a prediction is performed; - a data array (PredDirSigIds) whose elements denote, for the predictions to be performed, indices of the directional signals to be used; - a data array (QuantPredGains) whose elements represent quantised scaling factors, - providing (19; 34, 384) a bit value (PSPredictionActive) indicating whether or not said prediction is to be performed; - if no prediction is to be performed, omitting said bit array and said data arrays in said side information data ( ζ ( k - 2)); - if said prediction is to be performed, providing (19; 34, 384) a bit value (KindOfCodedPredIds) indicating whether or not, instead of said bit array (ActivePred) indicating whether or not for a direction a prediction is performed, a number (NumActivePred) of active predictions and a data array ( PredIds ) containing the indices of directions where a prediction is to be performed are included in said side information data ( ζ ( k - 2)), wherein said bit value (KindOfCodedPredIds) indicating that a number (NumActivePred) of active predictions and an array ( PredIds ) containing the indices of directions where a prediction is to be performed are included in said side information data ( ζ ( k - 2)) is provided only in case NumActivePred ≤ M M , where M M is the greatest integer number that satisfies ┌log 2 ( M M )┐+ M M · ┌log 2 ( O )┐ < O, O = ( N + 1) 2 , and wherein N is the order of said HOA representation. <EOS>