LFE

LFE is an initialism that can refer to different concepts in audio engineering and computer programming. The term is most commonly associated with two distinct uses: the Low-Frequency Effects channel in multichannel surround sound and Lisp Flavoured Erlang, a Lisp dialect that runs on the BEAM virtual machine.

In audio systems, the Low-Frequency Effects channel is part of configurations such as 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound. The LFE channel is dedicated to low-frequency content intended for subwoofers. It is mixed separately from the main channels, allowing bass-heavy effects, explosions, and sub-bass musical content to be reproduced with focused energy. On consumer receivers, the LFE output drives one or more subwoofers, while bass in the other channels is managed by the respective channels or bass management settings. The LFE channel is not guaranteed to carry full-range audio; its primary purpose is to enhance deep bass within the overall mix.

In software, Lisp Flavoured Erlang is a Lisp dialect designed to run on the BEAM virtual machine. LFE brings Lisp-style syntax and macro capabilities to the Erlang ecosystem, aiming to combine Lisp’s metaprogramming advantages with Erlang’s concurrency, fault tolerance, and distributed computing model. Code written in LFE is typically compiled to BEAM bytecode and can interoperate with Erlang and OTP modules, enabling mixed-language projects and leveraging BEAM tooling and libraries.

Overall, the meaning of LFE depends on the context—audio production or programming—each domain using the same acronym to denote a distinct concept.