Summary - Audio quality is generally good though there are a couple of problems. Quite a few samples have noise present, whilst its never totally obtrusive, and in places like the ambience it may well add to the effect, you may well want to use some noise reduction if the sample your looking to use is prominent in your mix. Second is cross talk, most prominent in the bass section, there are a few other places where its detectable, this could be a real problem to remove if its a noticeable in your mix. Noise can often quite successfully be removed by using software or EQ, but a distant drum beat or synth line maybe not. Lastly a few samples suffer from being cut off a fraction too soon or late, so you get a little artefact that'll need editing out if it can be detected in a mix..

I confess that I loved this CD, whole stacks of slightly different sounds just waiting to be used. The first section is the pick, a whole bunch of great soundscapes, ideal for space music, ambient, science fiction or sound track type work, or anything that wants a dark ambience as a backdrop. Likewise the loops section is very good as well, lots of different things in there to provide something just a bit different from your stock straight percussive type loops. If your looking for a narrow style of loop then, you may struggle, but if your open minded there is a lot of good material here.

The riffs and sounds sections are a bit weaker, if only as the earlier sections are so good. There is a lot of usable material in there, for offbeat drop ins there are a ton in the Kaos FX and do like those organ riffs even if I may never find a use for them.

Maybe the only thing lacking through the collection is real punch, that's something that's difficult to quantify and not a criticism, it can make sounds easier to use and mix much better than stand out and grab you sounds. But certainly if your looking to make 4 on the floor type dance music you might need a bit of EQ at mix down or some additional effects, especially compression, to get that punchier sound.

My only real concern for the collection is its target audience, its very diverse, and would make an excellent library CD for anyone's collection. It'll never compete with specialist CD's in any of the areas it covers, but only because it covers a lot of bases. Almost anyone will be able to make use of some of the CD, but probably not many will make use of all the CD unless your making ambient, world, techno, funk, science fiction sound tracks.

Overall - Excellent collection of slightly off beat and unusual samples, would be a fine addition to most anyone's sample library 8/10.