[MOD]Viper4Android_FX+MegaBassBeats Audio Tweak Combo - AT&T Samsung Galaxy S 4 Themes and Apps

NOTE: I started this thread on the OG Note forums before I got my S4, but figured I would share this with you all as well since the mod is working perfect (if not better) on my S4 as well. See the thread here (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=40355014) for user feedback and some troubleshooting.
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 have implemented this mod successfully on both stock-based and AOSP-based custom ROMs.
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 an 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.
AOSP-ONLY 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:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=31204141
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!

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I forgot to mention, I do also have the EQ settings in Poweramp tweaked a bit. Here are screenshots of my setup:
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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.
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

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Does this work for Rdio. Really liked beats option of my HTC one.
Sent from my SGH-I337M using xda premium

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Should work for your entire system (ie all apps that produce sound). The easiest way to tell if it's working is to go into Viper while your music is playing and toggle the effects (the very top checkbox) on and off. If you hear a change in the sound, you know it's working

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Have you made any eq adjustments from the note? This thing sounds pretty good without the mod so I was wondering how much adjusting did you need to do? Glad to see over here
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda premium

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Bataga said:
Have you made any eq adjustments from the note? This thing sounds pretty good without the mod so I was wondering how much adjusting did you need to do? Glad to see over here
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey man, glad to see you as well! And to be honest I've gotten hooked on Spotify and have been using that as my go-to music player recently...and it works perfectly because the app uses the system equalizer, which means when I click "Music Effects" it takes me straight to Viper.
But I did use Poweramp for a little while after getting my S4, and I replicated my in-app EQ settings as displayed above - and it still sounded great. And I started using this mod the day that I got my phone (after rooting, of course), even though I had to manually push all of the MBB files to /system since we didn't have a custom recovery yet...so I really haven't even tried it without the mod. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", as they say.

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CPA Poke said:
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).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I installed the HiFi one after installing the FX and I am using both without a problem. Using with winamp if that helps. Couldn't get it to play happy with the stock music player.
Thanks so much for letting us know about this. I was disappointed with the S4 audio after coming from an Infuse with it's Wolfson chip and Voodoo Sound. I can't believe the rest of the world got a Wolfson chip in their S4...but thats another story.
Anyway, I'm very happy with the sound quality through my Grados now. I see lots of tweaking in my future.
Everyone should definitely click through to the Viper thread, as there are examples of settings and links to lots of convolver IR files.

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Bummed, can't get this to install on slim be an 5.7. It boot loops after step 5. Any suggestions to make it work?
Sent from my SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

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ViPER4Android_FX_2210 works great on htc one!
Was espacially interested in surrond effects and man this blows
noozxoide away...
edit: Setup Htc one m7 32gb, Android Rev 12.1

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You probably got a lot of questions on this but...
I do a bit of flashing, so I was able to get this working. It sounds WAY better than stock. I purchased Proamp as you suggested. I saved the Proamp profiles, and I saved the viper load effect file, so all the settings are saved.
My question is if there is a way for viper to start and open the profile along with Proamp. In other words, I have to keep going back to viper to turn the settings on. Is there a way to keep them on?
Thanks for your help, and the tip. This sounds is jacked in my Jeep!

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Is this working correctly on 4.3? Viper tells me to install driver, I install it, reboot and then it asks me the same thing and no settings were saved.

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Getting the same issue stated above. It asks to update the drivers even after doing it already and rebooting.
Sent Via the Bacon Powered S4

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Nope, not working on 4.3
This one thing is literally holding me back from moving on to a 4.3 ROM as my DD.

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Thanks x 100, finally great sound on my s4.This totally rocks.Great find for TW rom4.2.2.
Edit: every rom should have this loaded from the start,PERFECTION.
Sent from my SGH-I337M

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odinfire said:
I do a bit of flashing, so I was able to get this working. It sounds WAY better than stock. I purchased Proamp as you suggested. I saved the Proamp profiles, and I saved the viper load effect file, so all the settings are saved.
My question is if there is a way for viper to start and open the profile along with Proamp. In other words, I have to keep going back to viper to turn the settings on. Is there a way to keep them on?
Thanks for your help, and the tip. This sounds is jacked in my Jeep!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same issue...how can we get the settings to "stick" in use with all audio apps? Thanks for this! Great work!
Sent from my AT&T Samsung Galaxy S4 Badass

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The instructions in OP are a little messy, you should break down the instructions into 2 seperate "how to", one for AOSP and one for TW based roms. I'm use to flashing and i have a hard time understanding what to do

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The Viper program lists Headset, Phone Speaker, and Bluetooth. Do you know if the Samsung audio out via USB is covered under any of these?
Edit: Tested, no change that I could see. Worked as expected with actual headset or phone speaker.

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I only use Google Play Music app with all access, so is there any point in getting the PowerAmp app? Should I just install Viper only?

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blyndfyre said:
I only use Google Play Music app with all access, so is there any point in getting the PowerAmp app? Should I just install Viper only?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In all honesty, I believe that GPAAM is not worth it. to begin, the app itself is not great, and the data usage is still insane. youd be better off just downloading the song. You buy PA if you want the kick ass eq. but thats about it.

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The app is poor, but the data usage is no concern as I'm always around WiFi.
Anyone know if this mod will work with Google Play Music? OP said it works with Spotify.
Sent from my SGH-I337M using xda premium