DSKlusion FAQ
The basics
What's the difference between DSKlusion and Mample?
DSKlusion is the whole Mirage: its operating system, its front panel, and the ability to write disks back out. Mample just loads a disk and plays it, through the same engine. If you want Mirage sounds without learning a 1984 user interface, Mample is the easier way in.
Do I need a Mirage boot ROM or OS disk?
Not by default. DSKlusion's default engine, HLEv2, is a clean-room engine that needs neither.
LLE runs the Mirage's original operating system on an emulated 6809 CPU. It needs two files you supply yourself, because both belong to Ensoniq and we can't ship them:
- The Mirage boot ROM — a 4,096-byte file. Settings → Sound → Boot ROM shows where DSKlusion looks for it and whether it found a usable one; put the file there, or browse to it.
- A Mirage OS disk image, in the folder set under OS Disk Images in Settings.
Then choose LLE — Authentic under Settings → Sound → Engine Mode. If the boot ROM is missing or isn't valid, DSKlusion stays on HLEv2 and tells you what's wrong, with Choose Boot ROM… to pick the file.
Is this based on the MAME Mirage emulator?
No. DSKlusion contains no MAME code, and is not a fork of or derived from MAME. Both engine modes are our own work — LLE runs a real Mirage operating system, the one you supply, on an emulated 6809, and that CPU core is third-party and credited in the notices that ship with the plugin.
Does it come with disks?
No. DSKlusion plays Mirage disks you already have. It ships with a catalogue of 400+ known disks, so it can tell you what you have loaded — but the catalogue is a list of disks, not the disks themselves.
Can you tell me where to get the ROM, OS and disks?
No, but they're out there.
Which disk image formats does it load?
.img, .bin, .edm and .hfe. Disks are recognised by their contents rather than their filenames, so a renamed file, or one with no extension, still gets identified.
Is it finished?
No — DSKlusion is in beta. The changelog on the product page is the record of what has changed.
Do you use AI?
Yes, see our company statement.
Compatibility
What formats and platforms does it run on?
- Windows: VST3, CLAP and Standalone
- macOS 10.15 Catalina or later: AU, VST3, CLAP and Standalone — universal, so they run on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs
- Linux: CLAP and LV2
Disks
Can I save a disk?
Yes. DSKlusion can write the mounted disk image back out to a file, so a disk you have sampled onto, renamed or re-parametered survives the session.
Will it overwrite my original disk files?
Not without a safety net. It asks before writing, and before it overwrites an image it saves a backup — keeping the last 10 by default. Both are adjustable in Settings. It also never deletes a file it did not create.
Does write protection work?
Yes. A write-protected disk is refused by the emulated firmware, the way the hardware refused it — not just greyed out in the interface.