[MOD] ViperFX + MegaBassBeatsv3 Audio Mod Combo - AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note I717

UPDATE 6/3/13
As a flashaholic and a musician, I've been on the search for the perfect audio mod for my phone ever since I first rooted my device and realized such things even existed. I've tried them all, from AwesomeBeats to AC!D Audio, and I've had generally good experiences with them.
However, I did some research and found out that the "conglomeration" of all the different apps and mods within each of them may actually be conflicting with each other to the point that the clarity/bass/quality may actually be getting limited or reduced. (I encourage you to read the info posted in the source threads below, as they offer an interesting insight into how their respective mods work, and what makes them different from the "all-in-one" mods like AC!D)
After using AC!D for a long time, I began to foray into some other options that have recently been developed by the genius folks in the XDA community...and ended up stumbling upon this combination of mids pretty much by chance. However, the instant I landed on it I completely abandoned my seemingly never ending search for the perfect audio mod (or at least the perfect combination, as AC!D seemed to have a different effect (therefore requiring different tweak setups) on every ROM I flashed.
When I flashed MegaBassBeatsv3 only, the bass was ridiculous and grinding but everything else kinda took the back seat (losing some of the mids and highs that make certain songs... Radiohead's Amnesiac and OKComputer albums, for example). When I flashed Viper only, I had a fantastic spectrum of sound and clarity but the bass was lacking (ineffective for the dubstep and rap songs that I may or may not listen to on occasion).
So, even though both mods didn't really advise users to combine with other mods, I figured what the hell. Installed them both, and sweet Jesus - best sound quality I've ever had on both Bluetooth (in my car) and headphones. This was also a frustration I was having with AC!D, that sometimes it would work great in my car but then it would be iffy on my headphones...other times it would be the opposite.
Just some minor EQ tweaks on PowerAmp, and I can now sit back and listen to an infinite array of music genres, on both Bluetooth and headphones, and not have to give a second thought to tweaking anything after my initial setup (of which I set up on Viper and Poweramp only once, and then restore data on those two apps from my Nandroid backups using TiBu).
NOTE: In no way am I a developer, and I had ZERO to do with the actual building of these mods - the mods below are 100% the intellectual property of their respective contributors (see the links below for the original threads on XDA) - I am simply trying to share my setup with others to hopefully improve their music listening experience like mine has.
REQUIREMENTS:
1. You must be rooted.
2. I would RECOMMEND being on ICS firmware or above. I have implemented this mod successfully on both stock ICS ROMs as well as every 4.2+ ROM that is currently available for our device (EDIT: Although I no longer have this device, this mod has been reported working on JB-Official 4.1.2), I just haven't tried on GB. You're welcome to try, I just won't attest to its effectiveness as I have not tried it. Just make sure you grab the appropriate mods based on ICS or JB (there are links to both below).
3. I have been using PowerAmp (available on the Play Store) the entire time I've tested these. Not sure how other players would handle them, but you're welcome to try. If you do use PowerAmp, make sure (a) the Direct Volume Control (DVC) option is switched OFF, and (b) make sure the "enable MusicFX" is turned ON. Google is your friend if you don't know how to do either one of those.
4. All the usual stuffs, you assume the risk, I'm not responsible (nor are the original devs) if you brick your phone, or if you pass out while driving due to the overload of beautiful music coming from your speakers, yadda yadda.
I've attempted to make it super easy to flash by baking both mods into a 4.2.2 AOSP-based (that is very important - don't flash this package if you are on ANY stock ROM) GAPPs package that I flash on each wipe. There is a link to this package below...in which I also have Google Keep and the new Play Store apk in here, as well as some of the other apps that I don't use (Google+, etc) taken out because I always use TiBu to remove them anyway. If you aren't one to flash random zips, feel free to open them up and then open up the original mod zips from the threads below...nothing more added than what's in there. EDIT: It's been a little while since I've updated this, so some of the apps in the package may be outdated.
4.2.2 GAPPs: http://db.tt/FNI7lVgo
ViperFX apk (update v2208):
http://d-h.st/Ctm
UPDATED 6/3/13
Extract the "ViPER4Android_FX_2208_Android4.x_en.zip" from the zip you downloaded above (yes, you read that correctly). Then extract the contents of this zip to your sdcard, and navigate to the extracted files. Click on the "ViPER4Android_FX.apk" file and proceed with installation as you would any other downloaded app.
Instructions:
1. Flash your ROM (clean install preferred...if not just wipe cache/dalvik-cache, dirty flash your current ROM, then flash the GAPPs)
2.Flash GAPPs
3. (ONLY IF YOU ARE NOT USING MY CUSTOM GAPPS) Flash MegaBassBeats.
4. (IF YOU USED MY CUSTOM GAPPS) Install the ViperFX app (only that one, not the XHiFi one that you'll find in the thread below as I didn't have much luck with both of them installed at once).
5. Install *updated 6/3* Viper apk from link above. No need to follow any additional instructions like before, just install the app, choose the Neon9 driver when prompted, and reboot. It's as simple as that now
6. DELETE MusicFX.apk from /system/app. DELETE DSPManager.apk from /system/app.
7. Reboot.
8. If you want to replicate my Viper setup, see the link below to a flashable zip I made that SHOULD give you the settings on Viper that I've had success with. ONLY flash that file after you've installed Viper.
9. Also, download this file (http://www.mediafire.com/?9am1sogfq9lm31d ), create the following folder path ( /sdcard/ViPER4Android/Kernel/ ) if it doesn't exist already, then extract the convolver files in the linked zip to the "Kernel" folder in order to enable the Convolver. Two important things to note when doing this: (1) make sure sure the names of the folders are EXACTLY as listed above. If either one isn't spelled correctly, then Viper will not be able to find the files to use in processing. (2) It will not work if you place the files on your external sd card ("/external_sd/", "/storage/sdcard1/"). Depending on which firmware you're running, the correct path will look like "/mnt/sdcard/", "/storage/sdcard0/", or just "/sdcard/" if you're using Root Explorer.
Here are links to the respective threads so you can play around if you'd like:
MBB v3 (for JB ROMs):
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=31204141
MBB v2 (for ICS ROMs):
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=33013589
Viper:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=39156703
So here is the zip that you can flash AFTER you install the Viper app itself that should give you the setup that I currently have for the app, if you wanted to at least start from there and tweak as you see fit based on your listening setup. (I just figured it took me a long time to finally get the right combo, I'd at least share it with everyone else to see if it would work for them)
http://db.tt/QRvCUlvp
Let me know if this works for you guys - again, I'm no dev by an means. But if you run into any issues with setting this up, feel free to post and I'll do my best to help. Or, if you have additional recommendations or experiences you'd like to share - they are welcome as well!

---

I forgot to mention, I do also have the EQ settings in Poweramp tweaked a bit. Here are screenshots of my setup:
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
NOTE: After you get Poweramp set up the way you like it, I recommend saving it as an EQ preset by hitting the "Preset" button (see the third screenshot) and then hit save...you can then name it whatever you want (as you can see on the 1st two screenshots, I have mine saved as "Driving Viper", as you can set it to automatically switch EQ presets based on what type of device you're using to actually listen to the music - i have the lower freqs tuned just a bit lower while I'm connected to Bluetooth, as my Bose headphones handle bass a little healthier than my car speakers. Conversely, I have another setting called "Headphones" that it automatically switches to when I'm physically plugged in to an audio jack).
Once you have the preset(s) saved, you can continue to flash ROMs if you want - just restore data on PowerAmp using TiBu (personally I always use the "extract from Nandroid backup" option in TiBu and then choose "restore data only" after already installing Poweramp, as opposed to just restoring data from the app backup list) and boom - your settings should be right back the way they were before you flashed the new ROM.
EDIT: Sorry it took so long, but here are my settings for Viper (headphone and bluetooth) for anyone who isn't having luck flashing my settings zip:
(Note: If a setting isn't mentioned specifically below, that means it is unchecked and/or at default)
Headphones
Master Power
>>Enable: CHECKED
Playback Gain Control
>>PlaybackAGC Enable: CHECKED
>>Effect Strength: SLIGHT
>>Max Gain: 3x
>>Max Output: -1.9 dB
FIREqualizer
>>Enable: CHECKED
>>Preset: ACOUSTIC
Convolver
>>Enable: CHECKED
>>Impulse Response: PopEQ.wav
Bluetooth
Master Power
>>Enable: CHECKED
Playback Gain Control
>>PlaybackAGC Enable: CHECKED
>>Effect Strength: MODERATE
>>Max Gain: 4x
>>Max Output: -1.9 dB
FIREqualizer
>>Enable: CHECKED
>>Preset: ROCK
Convolver
>>Enable: CHECKED
>>Impulse Response: Studer +6dB Updated.wav

---

I feel this may be a noob question. I my self have been using acid it works on the 4.2.2 rom I'm running. My question is after reading the rom I use had gapps burned into it. What's needed to try this mod. I'm kinda confused. On which step to start at if you not flashing a rom. If that makes since. Sorry to take up space here....
$ø|\/|£ťhïñğ ¢ű$ț¤|\/| ⁴.².²

---

JEZZEJAMEZ said:
I feel this may be a noob question. I my self have been using acid it works on the 4.2.2 rom I'm running. My question is after reading the rom I use had gapps burned into it. What's needed to try this mod. I'm kinda confused. On which step to start at if you not flashing a rom. If that makes since. Sorry to take up space here....
$ø|\/|£ťhïñğ ¢ű$ț¤|\/| ⁴.².²
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No need to apologize at all, I enjoy talking about this stuff lol.
Sorry about the confusion, I knew it would take me forever to run through both methods in one post, so I just posted the method I used now. The answer to your question depends on a couple scenarios -
Scenario 1: The ROM you're talking about with the GAPPS baked in is "the ROM that shall not be named" (which is the only 4.2.2 ROM that I'm aware of that disregards Google's proprietary ownership of the apps included in the typical GAPPs packages). If that's the case, simply flash my GAPPs package from recovery and it will just overwrite any existing GAPPs, and you *shouldn't* run into any issues. Then proceed with the normal instructions steps.
EDIT: Just saw in your post that you are indeed running a 4.2.2 ROM, so I think I have an idea which one that is lol. Like I said, just flash the GAPPS package from recovery and then install the ViperFX app from the OP, and you should be good.
Scenario 2: You're running a stock ICS ROM (Blackstar, Padawan, Novena, etc) that appropriately has the GAPPs included. In that case, you'll need to follow the manual install instructions which, while are listed in the threads I linked in the OP, can get a little confusing. Here are my "simplified" instructions for those of you in this boat:
1. No need to reflash ROM obviously. Just start the process by booting into Recovery (probably still a good idea to wipe cache/dalvik-cache before you start flashing).
MegaBassBeats
2. Flash this MBBv2 zip (pulled from the linked thread): http://db.tt/I41DRcck
3. Wipe caches again. Fix Permissions. Reboot.
ViperFX
4. Install this file (also pulled from the thread above) as you would a normal apk (click from your file explorer, accept permissions and install): http://db.tt/7kWGYVPm
5. Open the app, click the "Install/Update" button. Allow Superuser access if it requests it.
6. Reboot.
7. Manually install the ViperFX apk (links in the OP, depending on the version of Android you're running). Same drill as in Step 4 above re: how to install.
8. For good measure, I'll open up TiBu and find the ViperFX app that I just installed, then use it to wipe app data and wipe app cache. You can also do this in Settings > Apps.
9. Using TiBu or your favorite file explorer, navigate to /system/app and delete the following files if they are present:
- MusicFX.apk
- DSPManager.apk
10. Reboot to recovery (optional, if you're wanting to flash my Viper settings zip; if not, just reboot the phone normally and you're good to go!).
11. Flash the Viper_settings zip from the OP. Fix Permissions. Reboot. Profit.

---

Ok Ive got a quick question Im very interested in this but wondering if I use Google Music to play all of my music is there anything special I need to do to have the EQ effects work properly on those songs
EDIT: And do you have tried the XHifi and V4A FX coexisting setup that I saw in the Viper thread.

---

jshinn1 said:
Ok Ive got a quick question Im very interested in this but wondering if I use Google Music to play all of my music is there anything special I need to do to have the EQ effects work properly on those songs
EDIT: And do you have tried the XHifi and V4A FX coexisting setup that I saw in the Viper thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe with the newer versions of GMusic there is an "EQ" button if you hit the menu button while playing a song...and if I remember correctly, it should then take you to the Viper settings as long as you deleted MusicFX.apk and DSPManager.apk from /system/app as I mentioned in the OP. If it does that, this means that the music player (Google Music or otherwise) is using the ViperFX settings as it's equalizer.
As far as the coexist, I did try it (mentioned briefly in the OP) but I found it to be overkill for the type of music I listen to and how I listen to it. There were some crazy cool effects available, but for my purposes it just made it worse. You're welcome to try though, every device and every user is different - so who knows!

---

CPA Poke said:
I believe with the newer versions of GMusic there is an "EQ" button if you hit the menu button while playing a song...and if I remember correctly, it should then take you to the Viper settings as long as you deleted MusicFX.apk and DSPManager.apk from /system/app as I mentioned in the OP. If it does that, this means that the music player (Google Music or otherwise) is using the ViperFX settings as it's equalizer.
As far as the coexist, I did try it (mentioned briefly in the OP) but I found it to be overkill for the type of music I listen to and how I listen to it. There were some crazy cool effects available, but for my purposes it just made it worse. You're welcome to try though, every device and every user is different - so who knows!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea Ill probably start out simply with yours and see how it goes

---

First, Thank you for this awesome setup. I've followed the instructions you provided and everything seems to work just fine. I actually use Winamp & Google music as my main players. In Google music if you hit the EQ tab it'll direct right to Viper FX. I also installed your VIper Mod settings, although I don't know if they are applied. After I flashed the setting in Viper FX were still at default. I checked the screens you poseted in the 2nd post and tried my best to duplicate them for my headset, speaker, and bluetooth settings in Viper FX.
The results are phenomenal. The sound through the speaker is epic compared to the default sound. Really loud and crisp sounding, it's pretty neat to be able to play a song using the speaker and have other people in the same room be able to enjoy it also. I wasn't able to do this before.
I did have a question though, in the OP is says that some options were needed to do in PowerAmp player, I was wondering if you could look into Winamp and see if there are any similar settings I need to do to enable Viper FX. Or find a way to see if it's simply working with Winamp. Or, is the fact that Viper FX opens as the EQ for Google music proof enough that it's working for Winamp.
Again, thank you for all of this. I can use this immensely in my Jeep and through my home audio and love it!

---

newyorksabre said:
First, Thank you for this awesome setup. I've followed the instructions you provided and everything seems to work just fine. I actually use Winamp & Google music as my main players. In Google music if you hit the EQ tab it'll direct right to Viper FX. I also installed your VIper Mod settings, although I don't know if they are applied. After I flashed the setting in Viper FX were still at default. I checked the screens you poseted in the 2nd post and tried my best to duplicate them for my headset, speaker, and bluetooth settings in Viper FX.
The results are phenomenal. The sound through the speaker is epic compared to the default sound. Really loud and crisp sounding, it's pretty neat to be able to play a song using the speaker and have other people in the same room be able to enjoy it also. I wasn't able to do this before.
I did have a question though, in the OP is says that some options were needed to do in PowerAmp player, I was wondering if you could look into Winamp and see if there are any similar settings I need to do to enable Viper FX. Or find a way to see if it's simply working with Winamp. Or, is the fact that Viper FX opens as the EQ for Google music proof enough that it's working for Winamp.
Again, thank you for all of this. I can use this immensely in my Jeep and through my home audio and love it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem, glad you're enjoying it as well!
That's too bad that my Viper Settings zip didn't appear to work...because yeah if it did, then the settings in Viper wouldn't be at default. It was a shot in the dark to see whether or not it would work, so I guess my logic was off
Just curious though, do you remember if you opened the app up as soon as you installed, but prior to flashing the settings mod? This is purely conjecture (maybe some can fill me in), but it wouldn't surprise me if an app didn't create it's /data/data folders until AFTER it's opened got the first time? If so, then the zip definitely wouldn't work as it flashes the settings prefs into the Viper folder within /data/data - and if that folder doesn't exist yet, it would have nowhere to flash.
Now that you have opened it, do you think you could try flashing the zip one more time? If that doesn't work still, I'll just post screenshots of my setup on Viper.
On Winamp, I downloaded it and looked around a bit - but couldn't find any similar settings. I would say that as long as you go to Settings > Sound > Music Effects and it shows ViperFX, then that means the app is controlling the audio system-wide - and you should be good.
The way to make sure is to play a song with Winamp and, while it's playing, open up Viper and and turn it off and on. If you hear a difference in sound, then you know that it's tweaking your Winamp music.

---

Ok so I've never use these mods on their own a I don't know what settings they come with. I flashed the settings again and it defaulted to the original settings so I am assuming it worked. I was confused earlier thinking your player settings were the viper fx settings. There are a boat load of settings in viper fx although I'm not sure if your settings flash added them. I will be able to test the sounds more to make certain its working with winamp. I'll definitely be replying and updating with my results after. Thanks again for all your help.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using xda premium

---

Thanks for the audio mod! Sure blows Apollo and DSP out of the water. I flashed your viper settings also but all the settings were set to default when I went into the equalizer. It says my ROM doesn't support MusicFX so I don't have the option to check that?

---

If I want to add this package into another Google Apps package what should I move over Im going to try this with Slimbean that JamieD81 did

---

jshinn1 said:
If I want to add this package into another Google Apps package what should I move over Im going to try this with Slimbean that JamieD81 did
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only because my boy Marcus Smart is coming back for his sophomore year on the Oklahoma State basketball team...here you go
http://db.tt/aC1xlRRc

---

Quickvic30 said:
Thanks for the audio mod! Sure blows Apollo and DSP out of the water. I flashed your viper settings also but all the settings were set to default when I went into the equalizer. It says my ROM doesn't support MusicFX so I don't have the option to check that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry the settings didn't work...I'll post my Viper settings a bit later.
Where are you getting the message about your ROM not supporting MusicFX? Can you take a screenshot?
Not sure why it would even be saying that, as you don't need MusicFX to run the mod (in fact, you should have deleted it as part of the installation procedures for this mod).

---

CPA Poke said:
3. I have been using PowerAmp (available on the Play Store) the entire time I've tested these. Not sure how other players would handle them, but you're welcome to try. If you do use PowerAmp, make sure (a) the Direct Volume Control (DVC) option is switched OFF, and (b) make sure the "enable MusicFX" is turned ON. Google is your friend if you don't know how to do either one of those.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry I didn't explain that very well in my post. The step above is what I'm talking about. My enable MusicFX is blacked out and I don't have the option to check the box.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda app-developers app

---

Quickvic30 said:
Sorry I didn't explain that very well in my post. The step above is what I'm talking about. My enable MusicFX is blacked out and I don't have the option to check the box. View attachment 1891486
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Disable direct volume control

---

I did disable dvc and it makes everything quiet and still doesn't allow me to enable MXmusic effects. Tried rebooting with dvc disabled and still no go. I followed the install steps and used the gapps link in the OP.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda app-developers app

---

I installed the viperfx apk first. I had to delete the DSP and musicfx apk in twrp then i installed the gapps then rebooted. Then everyrhing worked in poweramp.

---

Quickvic30 said:
I did disable dvc and it makes everything quiet and still doesn't allow me to enable MXmusic effects. Tried rebooting with dvc disabled and still no go. I followed the install steps and used the gapps link in the OP.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If its disabled, then it sounds like you don't have Viper installed (or at least not installed properly). Have you opened it up and verified that it runs?

---

unibomber said:
Disable direct volume control
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Crap, I completely forgot to mention that in my instructions...I've had it disabled for so long (using AC!D previously) that I didn't even think about it. I'll add to OP.
EDIT: Heh. I guess I did add it in the instructions. *wipes off shoulder*