LFE channel

univera

Can someone explain what an LFE channel is besides a low frequency channel? Since I am am newly getting back into HT, I don't recall LFE being discussed several years ago. My older subs don't have a specific LFE connection (although I read Ken's sticky above.) Is LFE a newer way/name for sub channel that is better or did I just miss it all along?

malikarshad

To my knowledge LFE is the sum of low frequencies from all the channels below your crossover. Let's say your crossover is 80Hz then all the freq 80Hz and below in the sound track will be directed towards you LFE channel.

wingnut4772

It is my understanding that the LFE channel is the Low Frequency effects channel that is in a movie soundtrack. It is separate from any bass you may send your sub via a crossover setting in your controller.

polkatese

Darla, bingo was his name..

izafar

You can provide low frequency to sub in multiple ways.

1. Use a sub out from receiver and connect it to LFE input on Sub. In this case Receiver makes sure that sub out has proper Low frequency signal based on your speaker settings.
2. Use a line out from your receiver and connect it to line in on you sub. In this case you are supposed to provide a full range signal to Sub and internal cross over in your sub extract the low frequency signal out of it.

The later is preferred connection on all new gears. Some times your sub doesn’t have LFE labeled input, but has a crossover disable switch to turn off internal crossover. If your sub doesnt have that and you are still hooking it up to your Sub-out on your reciver then you should turn the variable crossover all the way up to minimize the effect of double crossover in signal chain.

Mjr7531

wingnut4772 wrote:

It is my understanding that the LFE channel is the Low Frequency effects channel that is in a movie soundtrack. It is separate from any bass you may send your sub via a crossover setting in your controller.

Yupper, you can add things to the LFE channel via crossover, but those aren't actually a part of the LFE channel, they're added on. Ideally, you have all speakers handle 20hz-20kHz, and the subwoofer gets just the LFE and nothing crossed over.

aaharvel

univera wrote:

Can someone explain what an LFE channel is besides a low frequency channel?

It's a pain in the ****, that's what it is.

univera

Mjr7531 wrote:

Yupper, you can add things to the LFE channel via crossover, but those aren't actually a part of the LFE channel, they're added on. Ideally, you have all speakers handle 20hz-20kHz, and the subwoofer gets just the LFE and nothing crossed over.

It would seem then that one would ideally need to two subs or all channels capable of handling full range frequency. Is there a seperate "LFE out" on the receiver? If you don't have full range speakers at all positions, then one would obviously have to send sub frequencies to a dedicated subwoofer (or I suppose the mains could handle that, but most instances would be calling for a sub.) In that scenario, if LFE is its own deal, then another sub would be needed for LFE frequencies. Seems like alot of work. Why can't a sub handle both duties? I don't see the need for a dedicated LFE channel/sub.

Leeep

Your receiver does all the math. LFE is technicaly the .1 in 6.1
When they mix a multi-channel soundtrack, they can send whatever they want to the sub via the low-frequency effects (LFE) channel.
Your receiver adds any low frequencies from channels set to "small" (or freqs below your cross-over point). Since bass is omni-directional, your ear can't tell that the lows are coming from a different location than the accompaning mids.
I've considered adding a second, smaller sub to my setup. I figured that if I run the mains to it and set the speaker size to "large", it would take some of the work off my bigger LFE sub. any thoughts on that?

adam2434

The sub out on a receiver/processor will send the LFE channel and any bass below the selected crossover freq (in the receiver/processor) for any channel set to small.

Even with large, relatively bass capable speakers, I've found that I get more impactful bass for 5.1 movies setting all speakers to small with a 80 Hz crossover in my receiver (letting the sub handle the LFE and bass below 80 Hz from the other channels). There is no need for multiple subs, assuming your sub is up to the task.

For 2 ch music, however, I still prefer to run my mains full range with no sub (not even using the receiver in my set-up).

XJRGUY

univera wrote:

Can someone explain what an LFE channel is besides a low frequency channel? Since I am am newly getting back into HT, I don't recall LFE being discussed several years ago. My older subs don't have a specific LFE connection (although I read Ken's sticky above.) Is LFE a newer way/name for sub channel that is better or did I just miss it all along?

LFE= Light Fixture Extractor
LFE= Large Friggin' Enclosure
LFE= Look For Earmuffs
LFE= Like Feeling Earthquakes