Certain embodiments enable improved encoding and decoding of a vector of coefficients by associating a vector element of a signed pyramid with an encoded value that includes a first portion and a second portion, where the first portion identifies a corresponding vector element of an unsigned pyramid and a second portion characterizes sign values for nonzero components of the vector element of the signed pyramid. As a result, computational constraints such as word size apply to the unsigned pyramid instead of the signed pyramid. The smaller size of the unsigned pyramid enables extending the range of signed pyramid parameters that are operable within the computational constraints.