[Magisk] return.of.octobot:
Unsure if this is going to be of any help to anyone, but I've also pulled a logcat via adb. Will attach full log (had to compress to keep it under max file size) along with Magisk log, but I did pick up on something that might be of relevance?

02-15 13:10:08.253 2795 2795 I ViPER4Android: Jni library status = false
02-15 13:10:08.254 2795 2795 I ViPER4Android: Starting service, reason = ViPER4Android::onCreate
02-15 13:10:08.256 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: Init environment
02-15 13:10:08.259 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: Now checking for external storage writable, file = /storage/emulated/0/v4a_test_file
02-15 13:10:08.260 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: External storage path = /storage/emulated/0/
02-15 13:10:08.260 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: ViPER4Android root path = /storage/emulated/0/ViPER4Android/
02-15 13:10:08.260 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: ViPER4Android kernel path = /storage/emulated/0/ViPER4Android/Kernel/
02-15 13:10:08.260 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: ViPER4Android custom DDC path = /storage/emulated/0/ViPER4Android/DDC/
02-15 13:10:08.260 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: ViPER4Android profile path = /storage/emulated/0/ViPER4Android/Profile/
02-15 13:10:08.260 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: Check driver
02-15 13:10:08.261 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: Found 15 effects
02-15 13:10:08.261 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: [1], Volume listener for notification, Qualcomm Technologies Inc
02-15 13:10:08.261 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: [2], Volume listener for voice call, Qualcomm Technologies Inc
02-15 13:10:08.261 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: [3], Volume listener for alarm, Qualcomm Technologies Inc
02-15 13:10:08.261 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: [4], Volume listener for ring, Qualcomm Technologies Inc
02-15 13:10:08.261 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: [5], Visualizer, The Android Open Source Project
02-15 13:10:08.261 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: [6], Insert Preset Reverb, NXP Software Ltd.
02-15 13:10:08.261 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: [7], Auxiliary Preset Reverb, NXP Software Ltd.
02-15 13:10:08.261 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: [8], Insert Environmental Reverb, NXP Software Ltd.
02-15 13:10:08.261 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: [9], Auxiliary Environmental Reverb, NXP Software Ltd.
02-15 13:10:08.261 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: [10], Equalizer, NXP Software Ltd.
02-15 13:10:08.261 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: [11], Virtualizer, NXP Software Ltd.
02-15 13:10:08.261 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: [12], Dynamic Bass Boost, NXP Software Ltd.
02-15 13:10:08.261 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: [13], Loudness Enhancer, The Android Open Source Project
02-15 13:10:08.261 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: [14], Multichannel Downmix To Stereo, The Android Open Source Project
02-15 13:10:08.261 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: [15], Volume, NXP Software Ltd.
02-15 13:10:08.261 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: ViPER4Android engine not found
02-15 13:10:08.261 2795 9441 I ViPER4Android: Android audio effect engine reports the v4a driver is not usable
02-15 13:10:08.263 2795 2795 I ViPER4Android: onResume(), Binding service ...
02-15 13:10:08.264 2795 2795 I zygote64: Deoptimizing int android.support.v4.e.r.a(java.lang.Object) due to JIT same target
02-15 13:10:08.264 2795 2795 I ViPER4Android: Main activity onResume()
02-15 13:10:08.280 2795 2795 I ViPER4Android: Service::onStartCommand [Begin check driver]
02-15 13:10:08.280 2795 2795 E ViPER4Android: Service::onStartCommand [V4A Engine not found]
02-15 13:10:08.293 2795 2795 I ViPER4Android: ViPER4Android service connected
02-15 13:10:08.293 2795 2795 I ViPER4Android: Unbinding service ...
02-15 13:10:08.296 2795 2795 D ViPER4Android: onCreate
02-15 13:10:08.298 2795 2795 I chatty : uid=10003(com.pittvandewitt.viperfx) identical 1 line
02-15 13:10:08.302 2795 2795 D ViPER4Android: onCreate
02-15 13:10:08.352 2795 2801 I zygote64: Do partial code cache collection, code=119KB, data=87KB
02-15 13:10:08.353 2795 2801 I zygote64: After code cache collection, code=119KB, data=87KB
02-15 13:10:08.353 2795 2801 I zygote64: Increasing code cache capacity to 512KB
02-15 13:10:08.384 955 955 D SurfaceFlinger: duplicate layer name: changing com.pittvandewitt.viperfx/com.audlabs.viperfx.main.MainActivity to com.pittvandewitt.viperfx/com.audlabs.viperfx.main.MainActivity#1
02-15 13:10:08.409 2795 2795 I zygote64: Deoptimizing void android.support.v7.widget.LinearLayoutCompat.b(int, int, int, int) due to JIT inline cache
02-15 13:10:08.435 1284 1331 I ActivityManager: Displayed com.pittvandewitt.viperfx/com.audlabs.viperfx.main.MainActivity: +201ms

Again, just to clarify, the device is an Essential PH-1, Stock Oreo 8.1, Magisk-v15.4