NeoBAE

What happens the second you open NeoBAE

The app launches directly into a file browser. No splash screen. No login. No tutorial. The interface shows a list of folders and MIDI files on your device. A small gear icon at the top right opens the settings panel. The app does not ask for any permissions upfront. It waits until you select a file to request storage access. The file browser uses SQLite3 indexing, which means it scans folders quickly even with large libraries. The app has been tested with over 100,000 files and remains responsive. The default soundbank is built in. You can start playing a MIDI file immediately. The playback controls are simple: play, pause, stop, and a volume slider. A reverb control sits next to the volume slider. The app does not show any ads. The interface respects the system's light or dark mode setting. There is no account creation, no cloud sync, no online dependency. The app works completely offline. The design is minimal and functional, prioritizing playback speed over visual flair.

How Native DLS and custom FluidLite work together for legacy format support

The app includes a Native DLS handler that replaces the older Fluidsynth-based approach. This handler supports DLS Levels 1 and 2, and it is compatible with mobileBAE and microQ content. These are legacy formats used in older mobile phones and embedded systems. Most modern MIDI players cannot read them correctly. NeoBAE can. The Native DLS handler also recognizes "scrambled eggs" DLS from QSound, a format used in some TouchWiz-era Samsung phones. The app pairs this with a custom FluidLite implementation for SF2 soundfonts. This combination allows the app to play back content that would otherwise produce silence or garbled audio. The bank badges feature identifies the source of each bank—whether it is mobileBAE, microQ, HSB, ZSB, or SF2. This helps users understand what they are loading. The app does not automatically apply effects or enhancements. It plays the content as the original creator intended. This makes it valuable for retro gaming enthusiasts, mobile phone collectors, and musicians working with legacy hardware. The app's changelog for August 2026 specifically highlights these additions. The developer has focused on authenticity rather than modern audio processing.

The real-world performance: indexing, playback, and export

The SQLite3 indexing engine is the backbone of the file browser. It builds a database of all MIDI files in selected folders. This database persists across sessions, so subsequent launches are faster. The app does not re-scan the entire library every time. It updates incrementally. The playback engine is real-time software synthesis. It handles General MIDI, karaoke files, and Beatnik-style banks. The app can play files with embedded instrument banks, such as RMI and RMF. The audio output is clean and low-latency. The reverb effect is adjustable with parameters for room size and damping. The export function converts playback to WAV, FLAC, or OGG files. This is useful for creating ringtones or sharing audio without relying on screen recording. The export process runs in the foreground. The app does not support background processing. The app does not display any ads during playback or export. The only potential issue is the lack of user reviews on the Play Store. The app appears to be relatively new or niche. The GitHub repository shows active development, with commits as recent as August 2026. The app's performance on older devices is unknown, but the Android v8 optimizations suggest it targets modern versions.

The permission that determines whether the app works at all

NeoBAE requires storage permission to read MIDI files from your device. Without this permission, the file browser shows an empty list. The app requests this permission when you first select a file. It does not request any other permissions. No camera, no microphone, no location. The app does not require network access. It works entirely offline. The storage permission is the only gatekeeper for the entire playback workflow. The app does not explain this clearly on first launch. It simply asks for permission and continues. If you deny storage, the app shows an error and asks again. There is no way to use the app without granting storage access. The app uses Android's scoped storage model. It only accesses files within directories you explicitly select. It does not scan the entire device by default. The app does not collect any personal data. The data safety section on Google Play states that no data is shared with third parties and no data is collected. The app is open-source, which allows users to verify this claim. The APK size is not listed on the Play Store, but the GitHub repository indicates the Android app is part of a larger codebase. The app requires Android 8.0 or higher due to the optimizations enabled in the latest version.