diff --git a/res/values/translatable.xml b/res/values/translatable.xml
index fa5cb98f..69ca9aed 100644
--- a/res/values/translatable.xml
+++ b/res/values/translatable.xml
@@ -174,6 +174,8 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
 	<string name="readahead">Enable readahead</string>
 	<string name="readahead_summary">Readahead the currently playing song. This option may solve \'audio dropout\' issues. (caused by a slow SD card)</string>
 
+	<string name="equalizer">Equalizer</string>
+
 	<string name="cycle_continuous_shuffling">Continuous Shuffle</string>
 	<string name="cycle_continuous_shuffling_summary">\'Shuffle mode\' will play songs in completely random order</string>
 
diff --git a/res/xml/preference_audio.xml b/res/xml/preference_audio.xml
index 09e4aff8..c8e61ecb 100644
--- a/res/xml/preference_audio.xml
+++ b/res/xml/preference_audio.xml
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
 		android:fragment="ch.blinkenlights.android.vanilla.PreferencesActivity$ReplayGainFragment"
 		android:title="@string/replaygain"
 		android:summary="@string/replaygain_summary" />
+	<PreferenceScreen
+		android:fragment="ch.blinkenlights.android.vanilla.PreferencesActivity$EqualizerFragment"
+		android:title="@string/equalizer"
+		android:summary="" />
 	<CheckBoxPreference
 		android:key="media_button"
 		android:title="@string/media_button_title"
diff --git a/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/PlaybackService.java b/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/PlaybackService.java
index a9a7ca96..3864c3f5 100644
--- a/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/PlaybackService.java
+++ b/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/PlaybackService.java
@@ -404,6 +404,11 @@ public final class PlaybackService extends Service
 
 		mMediaPlayer = getNewMediaPlayer();
 		mPreparedMediaPlayer = getNewMediaPlayer();
+		// We only have a single audio session
+		mPreparedMediaPlayer.setAudioSessionId(mMediaPlayer.getAudioSessionId());
+		// Broadcast our audio ID for the EQ
+		mPreparedMediaPlayer.openAudioFx();
+
 		mBastpUtil = new BastpUtil();
 		mReadahead = new ReadaheadThread();
 		mReadahead.start();
@@ -559,6 +564,7 @@ public final class PlaybackService extends Service
 		}
 
 		if (mPreparedMediaPlayer != null) {
+			mPreparedMediaPlayer.closeAudioFx();
 			mPreparedMediaPlayer.release();
 			mPreparedMediaPlayer = null;
 		}
@@ -684,15 +690,15 @@ public final class PlaybackService extends Service
 			Log.d("VanillaMusic", "Must not create new media player object");
 		}
 
-		Log.v("VanillaMusic", "A>>  hasNext="+mMediaPlayer.hasNextMediaPlayer()+", ds="+mMediaPlayer.getDataSource()+", class="+mMediaPlayer);
-		Log.v("VanillaMusic", "P>>  hasNext="+mPreparedMediaPlayer.hasNextMediaPlayer()+", ds="+mPreparedMediaPlayer.getDataSource()+", class="+mPreparedMediaPlayer);
+		vLog("VanillaMusic", "A>>  hasNext="+mMediaPlayer.hasNextMediaPlayer()+", ds="+mMediaPlayer.getDataSource()+", class="+mMediaPlayer);
+		vLog("VanillaMusic", "P>>  hasNext="+mPreparedMediaPlayer.hasNextMediaPlayer()+", ds="+mPreparedMediaPlayer.getDataSource()+", class="+mPreparedMediaPlayer);
 
 		if(doGapless == true) {
 			try {
 				if(nextSong.path.equals(mPreparedMediaPlayer.getDataSource()) == false) {
 					// Prepared MP has a different data source: We need to re-initalize
 					// it and set it as the next MP for the active media player
-					Log.v("VanillaMusic", "GAPLESS: SETTING "+nextSong.path);
+					vLog("VanillaMusic", "GAPLESS: SETTING "+nextSong.path);
 					mPreparedMediaPlayer.reset();
 					prepareMediaPlayer(mPreparedMediaPlayer, nextSong.path);
 					mMediaPlayer.setNextMediaPlayer(mPreparedMediaPlayer);
@@ -700,11 +706,11 @@ public final class PlaybackService extends Service
 				if(mMediaPlayer.hasNextMediaPlayer() == false) {
 					// We can reuse the prepared MediaPlayer but the current instance lacks
 					// a link to it
-					Log.v("VanillaMusic", "SETTING NEXT MP as in "+mPreparedMediaPlayer.getDataSource());
+					vLog("VanillaMusic", "SETTING NEXT MP as in "+mPreparedMediaPlayer.getDataSource());
 					mMediaPlayer.setNextMediaPlayer(mPreparedMediaPlayer);
 				}
 			} catch (IOException e) {
-				Log.v("VanillaMusic", "triggerGaplessUpdate() failed with exception "+e);
+				vLog("VanillaMusic", "triggerGaplessUpdate() failed with exception "+e);
 				mMediaPlayer.setNextMediaPlayer(null);
 				mPreparedMediaPlayer.reset();
 			}
@@ -716,10 +722,14 @@ public final class PlaybackService extends Service
 			}
 		}
 
-		Log.v("VanillaMusic", "A<<  hasNext="+mMediaPlayer.hasNextMediaPlayer()+", ds="+mMediaPlayer.getDataSource()+", class="+mMediaPlayer);
-		Log.v("VanillaMusic", "P<<  hasNext="+mPreparedMediaPlayer.hasNextMediaPlayer()+", ds="+mPreparedMediaPlayer.getDataSource()+", class="+mPreparedMediaPlayer);
-
+		vLog("VanillaMusic", "A<<  hasNext="+mMediaPlayer.hasNextMediaPlayer()+", ds="+mMediaPlayer.getDataSource()+", class="+mMediaPlayer);
+		vLog("VanillaMusic", "P<<  hasNext="+mPreparedMediaPlayer.hasNextMediaPlayer()+", ds="+mPreparedMediaPlayer.getDataSource()+", class="+mPreparedMediaPlayer);
+	}
 
+	// Helper to quickly enable and disable logging of triggerGaplessUpdate
+	// FIXME: REMOVE ME
+	private static void vLog(String name, String text) {
+		Log.v(name, text);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -1471,6 +1481,16 @@ public final class PlaybackService extends Service
 			return 0;
 		return mMediaPlayer.getDuration();
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Returns the global audio session
+	 */
+	public int getAudioSession() {
+		// Must not be 'ready' or initialized: the audio session
+		// is set on object creation
+		return mMediaPlayer.getAudioSessionId();
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Seek to a position in the current song.
 	 *
diff --git a/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/PreferencesActivity.java b/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/PreferencesActivity.java
index 80b1e753..a65b214f 100644
--- a/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/PreferencesActivity.java
+++ b/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/PreferencesActivity.java
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ import android.view.View;
 import android.view.ViewGroup;
 import android.webkit.WebView;
 import android.webkit.WebViewFragment;
+import android.content.Context;
+import android.content.Intent;
+import android.media.audiofx.AudioEffect;
 import android.net.Uri;
 import java.util.List;
 
@@ -117,6 +120,32 @@ public class PreferencesActivity extends PreferenceActivity {
 		}
 	}
 
+	public static class EqualizerFragment extends PreferenceFragment {
+		@Override
+		public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
+		{
+			super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
+
+			Context context = getActivity();
+			int mAudioSession = 0;
+			if (PlaybackService.hasInstance()) {
+				PlaybackService service = PlaybackService.get(context);
+				mAudioSession = service.getAudioSession();
+			}
+
+			try {
+				final Intent effects = new Intent(AudioEffect.ACTION_DISPLAY_AUDIO_EFFECT_CONTROL_PANEL);
+				effects.putExtra(AudioEffect.EXTRA_PACKAGE_NAME, context.getPackageName());
+				effects.putExtra(AudioEffect.EXTRA_AUDIO_SESSION, mAudioSession);
+				startActivityForResult(effects, 0);
+			} catch (Exception e) {
+				// ignored. Whee!
+			}
+
+			getActivity().finish();
+		}
+	}
+
 	public static class PlaybackFragment extends PreferenceFragment {
 		@Override
 		public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
diff --git a/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/VanillaMediaPlayer.java b/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/VanillaMediaPlayer.java
index 450092a5..dce062dd 100644
--- a/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/VanillaMediaPlayer.java
+++ b/src/ch/blinkenlights/android/vanilla/VanillaMediaPlayer.java
@@ -22,17 +22,13 @@ import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.Intent;
 import android.media.MediaPlayer;
 import android.media.audiofx.AudioEffect;
-
 import java.io.IOException;
 
-
-
 public class VanillaMediaPlayer extends MediaPlayer {
 
 	private Context mContext;
 	private String mDataSource;
 	private boolean mHasNextMediaPlayer;
-	private int mClaimedAudioSessionId = 0;
 
 	/**
 	 * Constructs a new VanillaMediaPlayer class
@@ -40,7 +36,6 @@ public class VanillaMediaPlayer extends MediaPlayer {
 	public VanillaMediaPlayer(Context context) {
 		super();
 		mContext = context;
-		_claimAudioSession();
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -56,7 +51,6 @@ public class VanillaMediaPlayer extends MediaPlayer {
 	 * Releases the media player and frees any claimed AudioEffect
 	 */
 	public void release() {
-		_releaseAudioSession();
 		mDataSource = null;
 		mHasNextMediaPlayer = false;
 		super.release();
@@ -68,7 +62,6 @@ public class VanillaMediaPlayer extends MediaPlayer {
 	public void setDataSource(String dataSource) throws IOException, IllegalArgumentException, SecurityException, IllegalStateException {
 		mDataSource = dataSource;
 		super.setDataSource(mDataSource);
-		_claimAudioSession();
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -97,28 +90,21 @@ public class VanillaMediaPlayer extends MediaPlayer {
 	/**
 	 * Creates a new AudioEffect for our AudioSession
 	 */
-	private void _claimAudioSession() {
-		// No active audio session -> claim one
-		if (mClaimedAudioSessionId == 0) {
-			mClaimedAudioSessionId = this.getAudioSessionId();
-			Intent i = new Intent(AudioEffect.ACTION_OPEN_AUDIO_EFFECT_CONTROL_SESSION);
-			i.putExtra(AudioEffect.EXTRA_AUDIO_SESSION, mClaimedAudioSessionId);
-			i.putExtra(AudioEffect.EXTRA_PACKAGE_NAME, mContext.getPackageName());
-			mContext.sendBroadcast(i);
-		}
+	public void openAudioFx() {
+		Intent i = new Intent(AudioEffect.ACTION_OPEN_AUDIO_EFFECT_CONTROL_SESSION);
+		i.putExtra(AudioEffect.EXTRA_AUDIO_SESSION, this.getAudioSessionId());
+		i.putExtra(AudioEffect.EXTRA_PACKAGE_NAME, mContext.getPackageName());
+		mContext.sendBroadcast(i);
 	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Releases a previously claimed audio session id
 	 */
-	private void _releaseAudioSession() {
-		if (mClaimedAudioSessionId != 0) {
-			Intent i = new Intent(AudioEffect.ACTION_CLOSE_AUDIO_EFFECT_CONTROL_SESSION);
-			i.putExtra(AudioEffect.EXTRA_AUDIO_SESSION, mClaimedAudioSessionId);
-			i.putExtra(AudioEffect.EXTRA_PACKAGE_NAME, mContext.getPackageName());
-			mContext.sendBroadcast(i);
-			mClaimedAudioSessionId = 0;
-		}
+	public void closeAudioFx() {
+		Intent i = new Intent(AudioEffect.ACTION_CLOSE_AUDIO_EFFECT_CONTROL_SESSION);
+		i.putExtra(AudioEffect.EXTRA_AUDIO_SESSION, this.getAudioSessionId());
+		i.putExtra(AudioEffect.EXTRA_PACKAGE_NAME, mContext.getPackageName());
+		mContext.sendBroadcast(i);
 	}
 
 }