How to Install & Use The Usual Suspects DSP56300 Synths

🎹 This guide shows how to install and run The Usual Suspects’ DSP56300 synths (Access Virus emulation) and load them into your DAW, so you can start creating with the legendary Virus sound.

Along the way, you may run into something called the Usual Suspects DSP Bridge Server. This guide clarifies what it is, who it is for, and whether you actually need it.

Last updated: September 21, 2026

About The Usual Suspects

The Usual Suspects is a group of developers who reverse engineer and emulate the DSP chips inside classic digital synthesizers. They describe their work as digitally preserving classic synthesizers through emulation, and they publish their emulator source code openly on GitHub.

The project began with the Motorola DSP563xx family of processors, which powered many virtual analog synths from the mid 1990s onward. According to the developers’ technical page, the emulators reproduce the original chips at the chip level rather than recreating synth algorithms in new code, which is how they aim to match the hardware bit for bit. You can read the details on their How the Emulator Works page.

Which synths have they emulated so far?

The official downloads menu currently lists seven released plugins, plus a tools package that contains the DSP Bridge Server. Three more are in progress: Goldfinger (Waldorf Q) and Blue Giant (Novation Supernova II) are in beta for supporters, and JADE (Roland JD-990) is in alpha, Discord-only for supporters and donationware until release.

The group’s first FX unit, Triplex R-330, a beta emulator of the Roland SRV-330, SDE-330 and SDX-330, is also in progress. Access to Goldfinger, Blue Giant, JADE, and Triplex R-330 while they’re in testing is limited to supporters on the TUS Discord, so a donation is currently the fastest way in.

Read our full breakdown of the newest release in The Usual Suspects Goldfinger: Waldorf Q Emulator.

How do you install the plugins?

You install them like any other plugin: get the version for your system from the official downloads page, place it in your plugin folder, and let your DAW rescan. The developers’ Installation Guide covers each plugin’s setup requirements, so follow it for your specific synth.

1. Choose your synth on the official downloads page.
2. Install the plugin in your DAW’s plugin folder.
3. Rescan your plugins if your DAW does not do it automatically.
4. Complete the setup steps from the Installation Guide.
5. Load the plugin on a track and start playing.

On first use, each plugin creates a folder named after the synth inside Documents/The Usual Suspects on Windows and macOS. It holds subfolders for configuration, the patch manager and skins, and you will need the config folder if you set up Remote mode later.

What does the DSP Bridge Server actually do?

The DSP Bridge Server is a remote processing engine. Instead of running the heavy DSP emulation inside your DAW, it runs the emulation in a separate process, on another computer, or on a different platform, while the plugin becomes an editor that talks to the server over the network.

This is useful if your main DAW machine is low on CPU or RAM, if you want to run several emulated synths at once without crushing your workstation, or if you are building a dedicated DSP machine for big studio projects. The server is part of the TUS Tools downloads.

Local mode or Remote mode: which one should you use?

Use Local mode unless you have a specific reason not to. It is the default: the plugin is both the editor and the audio engine, so it runs entirely on your own CPU with no server needed. For most producers with a modern computer, it is the easiest option.

How do you set up Remote mode?

Remote mode requires the server to be running and a little configuration on both machines. This setup follows the developers’ DSP Bridge documentation.

1. Download the DSP Bridge Server from the TUS Tools page and start it on the second machine, or on the same machine as a separate process.
2. Open TCP 56362 and UDP 56303 for incoming connections on the server machine. On the DAW machine, allow outgoing TCP 56362 and UDP broadcast to 56303.
3. Close the plugin, then open its config file in the plugin’s config folder (for example, Osirus.xml) and add the line <VALUE name="supportDspBridge" val="1"/> to the properties.
4. Start the server first, then load the plugin as usual.
5. In the plugin UI, right-click, choose Device Type, and select the server’s IP address.

Pro tips for Remote mode

• Match the plugin and server versions, and update the server whenever you update the plugin
• Use a wired network connection at 1 Gbit or faster, since wireless connections can cause audio dropouts
• Set the plugin latency to 1 block on a stable network, and raise it if the network is busy
• If you see “No server found”, check that the server is running, both machines share the same local network, your firewall allows the ports above, and the plugin is installed on the server

How can you support The Usual Suspects?

The best way to support the team is to donate directly. Their official site lists a PayPal donation button and crypto addresses on theusualsuspects.io, and the Discord community is where supporters get access to private betas like Goldfinger.

We at FeedFreq have been following and using their developments for a few years now. The group has pushed the envelope and made serious progress across a growing list of classic synths. If you want to support anyone in this scene, these guys are the place to go.

Bottom line

You do not need the DSP Bridge Server to run the plugins. For most producers, Local mode is more than enough. The server is only for those who want to offload processing power, scale up to multiple synths, or set up a studio network. If you find the emulators useful, a donation to the developers keeps the work going.

Stay tuned with FeedFreq for more synth and plugin news.

Need help installing or setting up The Usual Suspects plugins? Their Discord community and official documentation are the best place to start.

Want to go deeper into sound design? 👉 Join the free BigFreq community, where we share techniques, sound design tips, and production walkthroughs for classic synth emulations and more. Free to join.

FeedFreq and BigFreq are not affiliated with The Usual Suspects. We are fans and supporters of their work. If you use their emulators, please support them with a donation.