There is disclosed methods and apparatus for decomposing a signal having a plurality of channels into direct and diffuse components. The correlation coefficient between each pair of signals from the plurality of signals may be estimated. A linear system of equations relating the estimated correlation coefficients and direct energy fractions of each of the plurality of channels may be constructed. The linear system may be solved to estimate the direct energy fractions. A direct component output signal and a diffuse component output signal may be generated based in part on the direct energy fractions.