An improved (N:K) multiple description binning encoder that employs binning yet permits recovery of the input signal when fewer than K of the descriptions are available. In creating the encoder, a first choice is made of the number of descriptions that the encoder is to create and the minimum number of descriptions below which full recovery of the input signal is not possible. A second choice is made as to the number of descriptions that are to be broken up, to form descriptions that have two portions each. Once the first choice is made, appropriate quantization and binning scheme are selected by employing conventional techniques, and in response to the second choice, the chosen number of descriptions are each quantization split into coarse and fine quantization arrangements.