Kinera Nott Phantom Review 

Intro

Hello, this review and feature covers the latest from the audio brand Kinera named the Kinera Nott Phantom ($430). The Kinera Nott Phantom is actually part of Kinera’s esteemed “Kinera Imperial” line of iems. The Imperial lineup is Kinera’s more premium series of products known for their high-end tunings, artistic designs, multi-driver configurations as well as intricate unboxing experiences. Another aspect of the Imperial lineup is that Kinera always draws their inspiration for each product from a cool source… Norse Mythology. Now, lately Kinera has been at it again, designing completely unique iems and the Nott is a perfect example of that. The Kinera Nott is supposed to arrive at my home in a couple days with a few other iems and I am quite happy about that. Especially after reading through the promotional material at the Kinera website. So, the Nott is actually a five-driver hybrid iem consisting of one dynamic driver and four balanced armature drivers as well as a three-way crossover circuit plus a Helmholtz resistance faceplate design which is the 1st that I’ve ever seen. I will certainly learn more about that further along in this review. Basically, Kinera once again dared to try new things, and I am very intrigued to hear this set for myself. 

Kinera 

Friends, I have reviewed many Kinera/QOA/Celest iems and audio products and I think it’s no secret that I am most certainly a fan. I love the way they do business. From the imagination it takes to dream up the design & theme of each product to the experiential knowledge that this group of people have to truly craft exquisite iems & audio devices… It’s impressive folks. I have more than a few reviews to back that up. However, don’t take it from me. Take some time to go down Kinera’s catalog of products and then read some reviews or watch some reviews and you’ll probably come back with the same opinion as I have. That is; Kinera is one of the big boys in this game. 

Theme

One aspect of Kinera/QOA/Celest products that I’ve personally praised up & down is their constant usage of themes to set the course for how their products are built, designed, and tuned. I adore that Kinera finds a character, usually from ancient Chinese mythology, Norse Mythology, or some other ancient story, and they begin to form the basis for their product. They use the story, the colors, the feel, the environment around the character, the character’s personality, and any other descriptive narrative that they can dig up to create their products. Quite literally, every single last review from Kinera or their sub-brands that I have featured has been based around some sort of a theme. I think this is a genius way to build a set. Let the character form the look, let the character form the sound, the unboxing experience, and trust your ultra talented artists, designers, and sound engineers to bring that character to life in your products. It’s a lovely idea and one which is always intriguing to me. I always applaud Kinera for their efforts. 

Nott Phantom

In the case of the Nott Phantom iem, it is actually named after the actual character Nott, the goddess of night from Norse Mythology. The daughter of the renown giant Nörvi, gifted with unique powers. A cosmic entity, deity, who rides her chariot across the sky to bring darkness and rest to the living. It is said that she isn’t just the mere absence of light, but instead an actual active force who declares the night will come as she passes. In fact, “Nott” actually means “night” in Norse Mythology and in the ancient myth she is actually looked at as the personification of night. It is said that everywhere she goes the light of the sun will be at her face while everything behind her becomes veiled over in the dark & easy peace of night. Nott actually represents the calm restorative rest of the peaceful night. Now, I’m not going to go through the entire story of Nott. That would take way too long. I would urge you all (if you are bored) to go through some of these ancient myths, they are actually very profound and neat to read. 

Since day one… 

Nevertheless, I do hope to at least give you an idea of how the iem Kinera Nott Phantom has gotten its inspiration from the story. You can see just by looking at the Nott Phantom where the design language ties into the story of the goddess Nott. The colors, the hues, the faceplates, the cable. The outward appearance of the Kinera Nott embodies the myth very well with an obviously dark and beautiful design language. However, what I want to see the most is how Kinera tied the character of Nott, the purpose of Nott, and the personality of Nott into the overall sound. One thing which always brings a smile to my face is spotting the correlation from the myth to the tuning with each of Kinera’s iems. If anything, Kinera should be praised for their craftiness and creativity as well as their keen understanding of how to bring these characters to life within the sonic tuning of these products. I have seen other brands begin to follow suit to an extent, but there’s only one brand who has been working with themes since day one, that is Kinera. 

Honeymoon Phase? 

Well folks, I just received the Kinera Nott Phantom about four hours ago and I honestly haven’t taken them out of my ears but for a few moments to check the other sets that they sent me. Friends, I know a top-class set when I hear one. So, the Nott’s MSRP is right around $430 and so there are quite a few iems which may draw the attention of the consumer within the $400-$500 range. I feel (in my heart of hearts) that $500 is the last price bracket before minimal diminishing returns kick in. Trust me, I’ve heard enough kilo-buck sets to confidently declare that. What I’m getting at is this; the Kinera Nott Phantom is really not very far off from many kilo-buck offerings. Now, this may be the honeymoon phase coming out of my mouth, but man… this set is very solid friends. Of course, I still have to put the Nott onto the burn-in station for a few days and then I will run this set through the gauntlet that is my playlists for a few weeks. This is a review that I will not rush. When it comes to Kinera, I take my time even more than usual. At any rate, I think I’m ready folks. So, I will be seeing you all in about 3 to 3.5 weeks. Now, without further ado, the Kinera Imperial Nott Phantom…

Non-Affiliated Purchasing Links:

–Kinera Audio

–Aliexpress

Nott Phantom Pros

-Build is great (CNC machined aluminum) 

-Very comfortable, ergonomic 

-Design is very unique and very appealing 

-Unboxing is awesome, fitting for a Kinera Imperial branded iem 

-That cable! 

-Fast, tight, clean, well defined, but also deep and penetrative bass

-Midrange has very nice timbre and is simply wonderful for vocalists

-Treble is non-offensive but also has great note control, bite, and extension

-Large and deep stage

-Nicely detailed presentation 

-Note separation and imaging are stellar

-One of my personal favorites within its price range

Nott Phantom Cons

-Bassheads will want to look elsewhere 

-Treble heads will want to look elsewhere 

-Design may be a bit polarizing for some hobbyists 

-Beyond those cons, there isn’t anything else for me

Gear used for testing 

–Shanling UP6

–Shanling UA6 

–Ifi Go Blu 

–Hidizs S9 Pro Plus  

–Shanling H0

–Hidizs AP80 Pro Max 

–Fiio JM21 

–Hiby R3 Pro II

–Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 

–Shanling M1 Plus

–IBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2 

–Shanling M6 Ultra 

–Fiio Q15

Packaging / Accessories 

Unboxing 

The Kinera Imperial Nott Phantom landed at my home in a large hexagonal box similar to other Imperial branded sets. The graphics on the front cover of that hexagonal box are honestly gorgeous. You’ll see a box art which looks like purple and white mixed marble. In the middle of the box cover you’ll see “Nott Phantom” nearly displayed. On the back is some specs, misc. info, and some company information as well. So, take off the box top and you’ll be met with a hexagonal card which provides quite a bit of information including the frequency graph, tuning philosophy, story behind Nott, and more. Once you remove that card, you’ll finally see the beautiful layout of the Nott Phantom’s packaging as the earphones themselves are sitting gorgeous in foam cutouts. Under the earphones on the same level, you’ll find five pairs of Final Audio E-Tips. On either side of the E-Tips is the 3.5 se connector for the cable as well as the 4.4 balanced connector. Under all of that, also on the same level is the nice-looking carrying case. All of this sits in cardboard cut-outs. Inside of the case is the rest of the eartips as well as an iem cleaning tool. Folks, this packaging is very-very nice. No doubt about it that the unboxing experience is fitting of a +$400 Imperial Kinera iem. Very nice. 

Eartips 

Kinera decided to add some very nice eartips within the packaging as they offer a total of nine pairs and three different styles of eartips. The first style of eartips are three pairs (S, M, L) of gray/orange silicon eartips with a semi-wide bore, rigid flange, and they are pretty much identical in size and material as KBear 07 tips. Just a different color. Same bore size, same rigid stem, same firm flange. Really awesome tips. I would use those tips if it weren’t for the next style. Like I said earlier Kinera added in five pairs (XS, S, M, L, XL) of Final Audio E-Tips. For those who don’t know, E-Tips are quite awesome. I have used them for years at different times and for different sets. However, they are a tacky black silicon with different colored stems which correlate to the size along with a narrow bore as well as special ridges which run vertically up the stem. They are supremely comfortable. In fact, they were created with comfort in mind. The soft silicon melts into the inner ear without any discomfort at all. E-Tips typically provide a punchier bass, clear mids, and a slightly more articulated treble. Of course, this can change drastically between iems. I actually tried many eartips with the Nott Phantom and I still went back to the E-Tips for critical listening. Once again Kinera provides eartips within the packaging which make sense for the earphones. 

Carrying Case 

Also inside of the package is a nice carrying case. The case is a decent sized light blue leather clad case with a top which is held tight to the case by way of a magnet. Inside is soft material to keep your precious earphones safe. It’s actually a nice-looking case and is good for throwing into a bag but not great for trying to carry around in a pocket. I prefer cases which slip into a front pocket, but I have zero issues with the case that Kinera provides. I’d say it’s large enough to fit the Nott Phantom earphones, the cable, some adapters as well as a small dongle dac, if you’re good. In all truth, I rarely use any cases, but this is a nice one. A solid addition in my opinion. 

Cable 

This brings us to my favorite accessory. That is the cable that Kinera provided with the Nott Phantom. I am very picky about the cables that I use. First, the cable has to look good and carry a nice aesthetic appearance. Next, the cable has to sound good and pair with the earphones well. Lastly, I don’t like cables that do not roll up nicely. There’s nothing worse than a cable that springs apart the second you go to store them. I definitely don’t enjoy that. However, I adore the beautiful cable that Kinera provided. It is the perfect color sequence to go with the equally gorgeous Nott Phantom earphones. So, it’s a very nice looking 5mm fat cable with a predominantly purple coloration to match the Nott Phantom. Yet it also has white stripes in with black as well and the cable carries a very nice weave. The cable has a fabric covering (awesome) and is hand woven to create a very nice aesthetic. The cable is made of four strands of 6N OCC (Ohno Continuous Cast) copper wire and what I presume is a silver plating. At any rate, it is wonderfully made. Also, this is a modular cable which comes with a 3.5 single ended and 4.4 balanced connectors. Each connector is threaded on and obviously stays on perfectly. All fittings are a mix of black and gold to contrast the purple/white/black colors. It really is very nice and I’m glad that I didn’t need to cable swap. Kinera did an awesome job with the choosing of this cable. 

Build / Design / Internals / Fit 

Build Quality 

Kinera always creates products with top shelf build quality and the Nott Phantom is no exception. The housing is made entirely out of CNC machined anodized aluminum, very lightweight, and fairly large too. So, keep that in mind for all you people with smaller ears. At any rate, the Nott Phantom is built very well with smooth edges, rounded corners, and the shells are ergonomically built too. The faceplates are very interesting as they actually are designed to operate as a Helmholtz acoustic structure. Kinera is awesome folks. So, the faceplates are actually a 3D metal cavity which uses different damping materials which ultimately eliminates the refraction & reflection of unwanted distortion effects. The faceplates are also semi-open to the atmosphere which helps tremendously with ear pressure when putting the Nott Phantom into your ears. Who would’ve thought to create a Helmholtz acoustic structure inside of the faceplates? I suppose Kinera would. Also, the nozzles are about medium length I would say, and they are right around 6mm in width. So, nothing unusual there. The faceplates also act as a semi open vent and so you won’t have any pressure build up. Anyways, the build is substantial, very premium in feel and appearance. Nice work Kinera. 

Design

This brings us to the design of the Nott Phantom earphones. Friends, you can say a lot about Kinera but one thing you can never say is that they don’t know how to artistically craft a set of earphones. I think the Nott Phantom is one of the DOPEST looking iems that I’ve ever seen. They are so cool looking. The design is flawless folks. I adore the faceplate design as the composite stylized cover is all black yet with a very nice-looking purple mesh underneath. The effect is this slick looking 3D pattern that is simply awesome. I realize that this design won’t be loved by everyone as it is a very bold design language, but nobody can tell me that it isn’t both unique and original. Another slight touch which makes this look stand out is the small gold colored border which encircles the faceplates. I just can’t get over how cool this set is. Kinera, you truly did a wonderful job on this one!

Internals

This is the place where the magic happens folks. Kinera did (in my opinion) a wonderful job of choosing the perfect drivers to pair together. As I said earlier, the Kinera Nott Phantom has a total of five drivers consisting of one dynamic driver and four balanced armature drivers. The dynamic driver is an 8mm dynamic driver with a polymer fiber composite diaphragm in tandem with N52 magnets and it covers the low-end. Next, that awesome midrange is covered by dual Knowles balanced armature drivers. Lastly, the highs and ultra-highs are taken care of with dual Sonion balanced armature drivers. Make no mistake at all folks; Kinera went with some very high-quality drivers. Also, Kinera employs a three-way crossover system to divide the spectrum amongst those nice drivers. 

Fit / Comfort 

As far as the fit of the Kinera Nott Phantom, I find this set to be perfectly comfy for my ears. I can wear this set for very long periods with no issues of fatigue or earaches. The Nott Phantom were created to be ergonomically built and so the fit is going to be good for many folks. Of course, this is a rather large set, so smaller ears have been warned. This is also a very light set of earphones. Which is to be expected when the material of build is aluminum. I can’t say for sure that the Nott Phantom is going to fit your ears as well as they do mine, but I’d like to think that the majority of hobbyists will have zero problem. 

Drivability / Pairings 

Sensitivity

The Kinera Nott Phantom most certainly wants and desires some good clean power. No doubt about it. It’s rated with an impedance of 54 ohms and a sensitivity of 105 db’s and so it’s not particularly insensitive, but it isn’t very efficient either. It sort of lands itself in a gray area actually. To an extent. At any rate, the Nott Phantom can be driven decently from weaker sources like a phone with a 3.5 single ended connection, or weaker dongle dacs as well. However, the Nott sounds much better when driven with some power. I’d say at least a good 150 mW @ 32-ohm dongle dac. Even the EPZ TP35 sounds very nice and dynamic. However, bumping up to a powerful dongle dac like the Shanling UA6 is complete and utter heaven. Those two sound amazing together. Obviously, stronger and more powerful daps, dac/amps, or desktops will be more than enough. The Nott simply wants juice folks. Everything sounds better with some higher output too. I’m not saying you can’t use a weaker source, but the Nott Phantom will absolutely reciprocate with awesome sound when you feed this beautiful set some good and clean power. 

Source Pairing 

Now, the Kinera Nott Phantom carries a warm/neutral tonal coloration and really does pair well with almost any source that I tried. Just about all source tonalities seem to gel with this set. Now, I happen to personally enjoy a source device which leans warm/neutral as well. Daps like my Hiby R6 Pro II 2025, Shanling M6 Ultra, or the Fiio Q15 all come across wonderfully. Still, I don’t think any source tonality sounds outright bad. Perhaps sources which carry a brighter hue may push the treble a bit too hard, but even they don’t necessarily sound bad. So, I honestly don’t feel that you need to be too overly concerned about what source you use. In all truth, I’d simply make sure it has some juice, and it can be plugged into, and you’ll likely be good to go. 

Sound Impressions 

*Note: before I dive deep into the sound department, I first want to relay a few things to you all. First off, I actually gave the Nott Phantom quite a bit of burn-in. About four full days. I definitely feel that this paid off and did make a difference in the overall sound. Next, I used the included eartips as well as the included cable in all critical listening. For my listening I mainly use flac or better files (some mp3) which are stored on my devices and rarely stream my music. The Android music player of my choice is mainly UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro), and at times Hiby Music Player. 

What’s it sound like? 

Friends, this is one review which I couldn’t wait to work on. I say that because to my ears the Kinera Nott Phantom is unquestionably one of the most likably tuned iems that I’ve heard anywhere near the $400-$500 price range. Lately we’ve been seeing exotic drivers in this range, crazy configurations, and we’ve been seeing all sorts of bone-conduction drivers and different acoustic tech. I say that because there is nothing crazy about the Nott’s driver configuration at all. It’s just five drivers. That’s 1 dynamic driver and four balanced armature drivers. Okay, there’s also a three-way crossover brilliantly parsing out the frequencies as well as a Helmholtz acoustic structure. So, there is some nice tech. However, there’s nothing that would make you think “This set should blow the doors off of the competition”. Well, friends, let me just say that I am so freaking impressed with this iem. Kinera absolutely nailed this tuning with one of the best balances between fun and mature that I’ve heard and some truly organic timbre. This is one set where I could confidently tell you to just go and buy it. If you dig the tuning style, then you won’t be disappointed. Wonderfully tight yet deep and penetrative bass, some of the best vocals I’ve heard in any iem under $1k, as well as a highly detailed treble region with all the bite and none of the harshness. Add to that, the soundstage is enormous in fullness yet intimately rendered. It’s simply a nice sounding set. 

Signature

After weeks of listening every single day, I’ve come to the conclusion (after many internal disagreements with myself) that the sound signature floats around a mild V-shaped sound to a U-shaped signature. I definitely lean more towards U-shaped. Also, I wouldn’t argue with anyone if they called the Nott’s signature closer to a W-shaped. However, these signatures are always subjective and really don’t explain much of anything. At any rate, the tonal color is warm/neutral to my ears with some very nice timbre and a very clean sound at that. The Nott also has a very nice balance across the mix as no one area is boosted head and shoulders above another. No area (bass, mids, treble) is left out, and every area sounds perfectly emphasized. Like an ensemble cast that has no lead actors in an awesome movie. The beautiful thing is that the Kinera Nott Phantom is still very dynamic, bold in sound, and has some of the cleanest raw musicality within its price range. Obviously, this is all just an opinion of one man, but wow… I am so impressed!

Sounds great

From the sub-bass through to the upper treble I find the sound to be transient tight, clean with distinct lines and space between notes. The Nott has a very vivid sound, an immersive sound, it’s very engaging and musically inclined sound along with a massive stage. To my ears the Nott Phantom hovers right around 50% musical to 50% analytical (or something close to that). As I said, I hear a very nice mix of fun and mature. It comes across very fluid and rhythmic in its cadence, yet every single note is cleanly outlined, with solid precision and note contours along with a pretty apparent tonal contrast. Nothing even close to dull here folks. The Nott Phantom also carries a very nice balance of smooth and crisp inflections. Again, the cadence is smooth with that wave-like fluidity, but each note has some tasteful edge and bite to them. Also, I hear nothing piercing, no crazy peaks, no glare, no harshness, nothing outright abrasive, and I don’t detect an issue with sibilance. I hear clean reverb across a very 3D sound field which boasts a multi-layered and holographic experience. Furthermore, the sound is airy, it’s open, with nice note separation and stellar imaging capabilities.

Mesmeric

Honestly, to best explain the sound of the Kinera Nott Phantom, I’d simply say that it is a very dynamic sounding set, expressive yet controlled macro-dynamics, cleanly layered, and it has a mesmeric ability to engage the listener. Beyond that, the timbre really does lean organic, it is very close to natural with the only departure from perfectly organic being the faster transients. Which, I’m more than okay with. 

Bass Region 

The low-end of the Kinera Nott Phantom is certainly a quality over quantity situation, but in the same breath I’d say that it has plenty of quantity. To my ears its bass is one which I’d call above-moderate in general emphasis. However, the Nott’s bass can absolutely bring some heavily weighted, haptic, and low droning rumble when it needs to. What do I mean by “general emphasis”? I mean, the bass isn’t so emphasized that it affects the rest of the mix when there is no perceived low-end frequency playing in your music. Basically, the bass doesn’t create a veil, it doesn’t add a whole lot of warmth frequency wide (just enough actually), and it won’t bring upon that gooey type of creamy richness to the sound. No doubt that type of bass is nice and many enjoy it, but the Nott has a much cleaner, more focused, and less blended style of bass. This bass shows up when it is called upon and does so with a very well balanced and measured way while still sounding fun. For the record, I absolutely love this. I love how robust and hard punching the low-end is on this set without clouding the mix at all. That 8mm driver really does add some serious muscle without causing any clarity issues. It only shows up when it is called upon. This means that the bass isn’t mudding up the mix and isn’t congesting the sound field or blurring the fine lines between notes. This is a very well-defined bass region considering that it can bang when it needs to. 

Tight, clean, & focused… 

To add to that, the low-end is also what I’d consider a tidy and well-kempt region along with fairly fast transients for a DD. I’d say a hair faster than natural. I certainly wouldn’t label this as an atmospheric low-end. You aren’t going to hear any lingering harmonics, and it isn’t the most euphonic or resonance filled low-end displays I’ve ever heard. On the flip side, I also don’t hear any clipped harmonics. Like I said, close to natural. But it has some meat to it, it has that vivid style dark vibrance to it, and it is rather hard edged too. To my ears this low-end is nowhere near slow and can take on faster bass passages very well. Even more complicated tracks. I really enjoy how nicely textured the bass can sound. This is not an overly smoothened bass, and it isn’t overly warmed either. I hear more rounded, acute, and focused notes rather than warmed and widened notes. That 8mm driver puts in some nice work ladies and gentlemen. To my ears anyways. Let’s break the bass down a bit further… 

Sub-Bass 

The sub-bass probably carries the majority of the emphasis within the low-end, but this is not entirely clear to my ears. In truth, both the sub & mid-bass share the spotlight very well. Again, this is not overly boosted yet it has plenty of weighted rumble which can bring along some nice haptic and vibrational feel to my music on any bassline which displays such a thing. Like the track “Paradigm” by The Head and The Heart which throbs with a juddering, gravelly, and prominent pulsing bassline. The Nott does not disappoint at all. Again, it steps up when it needs to, only the Nott does so with a more skilled and nuanced manner. Another track with a beefy and earthy bass is “Heavy is the Ocean” by Bush. This track begins with a purposefully slow, bulbous, and sludgy style bass with immense weight serving as the lead into the main verse. Man, the Nott Phantom sounds awesome folks. It skillfully separates frequencies as the melody which surrounds that guttural bass comes through very clear. However, the haptic reverberant bass sounds foundational and bullish without sounding so forward that it covers everything else. This is especially nice for bass guitars which thrive off that gravelly and dirty riffs. To my ears the Nott has just enough emphasis to feel the sound yet stay relatively tight in the process. 

Mid-Bass 

Now, the mid-bass really isn’t that far below the sublevels to any drastic degree. Just like the lowest of the lows, the mid-bass can flat-out slam when it needs to. The mid-bass adds just enough full-bodied weight to bass guitars like in “Groove” by Ray Wylie Hubbard. This is a track that I routinely use for reviews. Anyways, the Nott Phantom sounds full, weighted, and clean. Kick drums also do well as they carry enough clean slam to come across very satisfying and fun whilst keeping that mature note contour and definition. Like, “Billie Jean” by Weezer. This track leads with many rapid and successive electronic kick drumbeats and the Nott Phantom booms very well. I hear a hard and tacky edge on attack and a quick decay while the meat of each of those notes sounds tight, controlled, and booming. Another is “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins. I hear that snap on attack and the hollow boom following in a natural way. Again, very satisfying. This is also a speedy mid-bass which can take on faster bass passages fairly well. Tracks like “Hysteria” by Muse helps the Nott Phantom to show off this quick punch style as it really does have that hard-lined stop-and-go bass with nice separation and good clarity. Certainly not congested or murky. It’s really a very nice bass folks. Never too much and not too little, again, above moderate and well defined. It definitely holds tight to my running theme of fun-meets-maturity. Lastly, this mid-bass only slightly spills over into the midrange adding just a touch of warmth. Enough to add some slight richness while remaining transparent and resolute. 

Downsides to the Bass Region 

To my ears I find the low-end to be a highly capable and very well textured bass region with enough gusto to sound fulfilling in tracks which require some gusto. However, bassheads are not going to be satisfied with this set folks. I’d go so far as to say that even moderate big bass lovers may want a tad more. I’m reaching on that one though because the bass is not without some level of prominence. Also, I could say that those who would much rather have an even prominent bass region, more snappy, even better detailed, and much sprightlier. Basically, true quality-over-quantity folks may not be as thrilled with the Nott Phantom’s low-end as I am. Other than those two groups of people, I really don’t find any real issues with the low-end. Maybe the bass can sound a hair less hard-lined, or hard-edged as some other sets within the price point, but that is almost unfair to say. I think the bass is great. 

Midrange

This brings us to one of my favorite midrange displays that I’ve heard around this price point as the Nott Phantom is one of the more engaging sets that I’ve heard of late. The midrange of the Nott Phantom is defined (mostly) by its warm/neutral and balanced sound coupled with its realistic timbre and lifelike textures. The midrange is effortlessly clean with great note separation throughout the midrange along with a very well dimensioned sound field. The subtle warmth from the low-end adds some weight while the upper-mid boost adds some clarity. The midrange has excellent presence for both vocalists and instrumentation. Also, expressive and unreserved macro-dynamics coming across very vivid with a wonderfully controlled vibrance which never goes overboard or too vivacious. Not for me anyways. The mids are airy and open sounding along with some crispness and great resolution. I enjoy the forward-ish nature of the mids, as well as the smooth cadence and contoured note definition of the Nott’s midrange. However, my favorite aspect of this region has to be the Nott’s organic style timbre. The mids have that natural semi-rich note weight and nice tonal contrast within the region as well. Again, the Nott has a little spillover of warmth from the low-end. This warmth adds some body and some robust sounding note dictation. I don’t find anything really dry on this set and it’s nowhere near being too analytically based. No doubt there’s a very high level of musicality folks. A truly euphonious, harmonious, and tuneful sound which can so easily come across dulcet and sweet & in the same sentence can sound resounding and symphonic. Not as juicy as a straight warm and lush set, yet not as clinical and dry as an analytical style tuning. 

So magical 

Folks, I need a solid midrange for a set to sound good to me. Without question there are a multitude of very high caliber iems past $400 that have awesome midrange performances. I’m not saying the Nott has the best midrange either. Shoot, I’m not saying that the Nott is even mid-centric. It’s actually dynamically pretty well balanced, if you ask me. What makes this set so magical in this region is its keen ability to portray the emotion and the dynamism within my music. It does so in such a clean-lined manner whilst also being very highly detailed and transparent. To add to that, the texture within the region is tactile, it’s tangible, at least to the extent that an iem can sound textured. It simply has wonderful presence. I am very impressed folks. 

Lower-Midrange 

The lower midrange has just enough warmth spilled over from the bass region as well as plenty of clarity too. Males sound authoritative, they generally have solid energy, and they have that same organic timbre that I’ve been referring to. Instruments within the lower parts of the midrange follow-suit as well. There’s this lean-lush style richness which comes through unsullied, clean, and prominent against the backdrop of most tracks. Songs like “The Sound of Silence” by Disturbed and the amazing vocals of their lead singer David Draimen. Folks, I am utterly in love with the way the Nott Phantom can replay every register of his voice with such vividness and even intimacy. There’s a feeling, or a sentiment that his voice evokes which not all sets seem to effectively convey. Friends, his voice reaches baritone levels, thick, hearty, gravelly, and edgy. The Nott reciprocates with all the weight that his voice needs. Also, his voice becomes almost featherlight. The Nott never sounded dry, or weak. And again… very prominent. Another track is the accopella group Home Free in the track “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” (U2 cover). My word does the Nott Phantom do their voices sweet justice. You have every type and style of male voice all in one song (actually, every one of their tracks are similar). I cannot get over how clear and clean they sound. Truly a great performer folks. Males sound awesome on this set. 

Upper-Midrange 

It’s in the upper midrange where we begin to hear some of that shimmer and upper midrange pinna shine. I love where Kinera capped that pinna rise as it never goes into glaring territory. Always clean-lined, fine-lined, well detailed, and very transparent in its textures. The same goes for female vocals. Folks, I fell head over heels for this sets’ ability to convey females. In fact, I’d be willing to say that females are probably its specialty. How well the Kinera Nott Phantom is able to protrude Adele’s voice outward (or inward) as though her every inflection is on a perfectly emphasized pedestal in the track “Hello”. Every intonation within her voice carries weight, sounding both moist and flowery. Yet there’s this controlled vibrance that elevates her voice as well. All the while she never loses that organic sound. Also, the upper midrange never exhibits that nasty BA timbre. It never has any metallic tinge to this region. Furthermore, there’s really no sibilance either. Just a clean note delivery with great presence. Ooh, Norah Jones in her track “Don’t Know Why” is hauntingly beautiful with this set. She sounds breathy, elegant, as her voice sounds emboldened against the jazz and blues style melody behind her. I’m telling you people; some sets can simply pull and draw the emotion from a song. They are more emotionally charged. The difference with the Nott is that it is also completely transparent and precise. Emotional and precise don’t usually melt very well together. No doubt there are other iems from every price range which can do the same, to an extent. However, the Nott Phantom does so at a top-class caliber for this price point. In my humble opinion. 

Downsides to the Midrange 

I’d say one of the biggest gripes that some hobbyists may have concerning the Nott Phantom’s midrange would be from those of us who greatly desire a very warm, thick, and lush midrange with only smooth inflections, completely rhythmical, and without any edge whatsoever. The Nott Phantom is not that. It is way too clean and clear, and its notes are very well contoured. Even if its rhythmicity and cadence is smooth. Not everyone desires a presence boost in this region. So, to those people who want that warmth, that velvet style smoothness, or that darker style musicality; you may want to keep looking. Also, to those who enjoy a fully analytical sound with no bass bleed, no richness, just 100% clarity and pristine note delivery; you too may want to keep looking. I can name you many sets which fit that bill past $400. The Phantom is a sweet middle ground and assuredly is what I’d exuberantly and affectionately call… freaking awesome! Nice work Kinera. 

Treble Region 

The last 3rd of the mix that I’ll speak on is the treble region which is once again very well balanced with both the bass and the midrange. Again, no one area stands out as the dominant frequency on this set. You may think differently, but I am very impressed with how well delineated each frequency is. The treble simply fits this tuning like a perfectly sized glove. It has that nice and edgy brilliance yet in such a smoothly rendered sound up top. How well Kinera tuned this treble to be both illuminated or vibrant yet completely devoid of any harshness. Instead of sharpness, this set has a controlled luminance, it doesn’t sheen in treble glare… it glows. It’s less like hard-lined brightness and more like a nicely glinting soft vibrance. Yet in that controlled brilliance the Nott Phantom has a highly detailed delivery where seemingly no micro-dynamic subtle volume change or any bit of minutiae gets lost. I realize that my words may sound a bit too fantastic, but I stand by them. Sure, there are other sets which are literally tuned to bring the subtleties to the surface. And they may do it better. However, the Nott Phantom has zero forced-resolution and doesn’t need to oversaturate this region in treble gleam to highlight those details. Again, the treble simply fits so well. 

Some subtle issues

Having said all of that, the one thing which makes the Nott’s treble so nice to the ear may also be what turns people away. Perhaps, it may be too polite at times. Now, one thing which I’ve been very happy with is its ability to hard line each note in subtle bite. It has some edge and some crispness to it. That said, it may be too inoffensive for some folks. Especially those treble heads who truly want that hard treble bunch, treble sheen, and overt brilliance. So, while its smoothness may come across as “non-offensive”, it may also be a hair too subdued for some people. Of course, these are very rude things for me to say, especially since I adore how well Kinera tuned this set. However, it’s all about full disclosure. Nothing is for everyone folks.

A fine line

Okay, with that said, I happen to really enjoy the Nott Phantom’s treble and I think that Kinera did a wonderful job of cleanly displaying this region while also keeping that organic and natural hue to the timbre. Instruments sound correct to me without any brilliance adding too much levity to their sound. It’s a fine line that tuners must walk. Of course you cannot please everyone, but I can tell you that Kinera has certainly pleased me. I’d like to assume that I’m not alone in that. You see, the Nott’s treble region is much less about sounding forward, exciting, and sprightly, and more about atmospheric brilliance with uniquely sculpted notes. I like the way certain textures are captured through these capable Sonion drivers, and I really like how well detailed the treble is.  Beyond that, the Nott’s treble is well able to keep up with some complicated tracks without coming across like a mess of treble tizz. It’s clean, it’s resolute, and it has just enough emphasis to sound exciting and enjoyable. 

Airy & Extended

One aspect of the treble region that I happen to like is the airiness that it has. This is an open sounding treble folks. Yet in that airy sound the Nott also has nice note density, which is a very nice combination to my ears. These aren’t dry and weak notes here friends. There’s some body to these notes. However, that air that I’m speaking of definitely adds some space between instruments helping most notes to sound rather distinct. I don’t hear any coarse or abrasive notes either. So, there’s definitely a lot to like about the highs on this set. I’d also add that extension into the upper treble is very nice as well. Stuff like cymbals chime with a natural quality to them without sounding splashy (in a bad way). These Sonion drivers coupled with the Helmholtz resonator faceplate cut down on unwanted resonances and lingering harmonics. It’s just clean. I don’t know how else to say it. It’s an uplifted treble. I hear nothing rolled-off, dark, drab, or boring. While it isn’t the most exuberant and radiant treble, it does everything rather well with very nice structure to notes, very precise as well with enough note bite and treble punch to come across pretty satisfying for me. 

Downsides to the Treble Region 

There are two types of listeners who would have an issue with how the treble is laid out and tuned. Those being: treble heads and treble detesters. Again, the treble region is not one which would make a treble head jump for joy. While fans of quality treble will like what Kinera has accomplished with the Nott, I really don’t feel like those treble-bois amongst us are going to scratch and claw to get their hands on this set. Like I said, earlier, the treble may be a hair too polite and less exuberant than those types would like. Also, those of us who really don’t want any brilliance at all will likely not enjoy the balanced brilliance of the Nott. Now, I almost hate even adding these downsides as they really aren’t true “issues” but rather subjective tonal problems which individual listeners may have. There’s nothing technically wrong with how the treble is portrayed and for all intents and purposes the treble is downright awesome. Especially in conjunction with how this set was tuned. Again, the treble simply fits this tuning very well. 

Technicalities 

Soundstage 

The soundstage on the Kinera Nott Phantom is absolutely one of the best parts about this tuning. Friends, Kinera tuned this set to have a very dynamic nature with good extension into the sublevels of the bass as well as solid extension I to the upper treble. To add to that, the Nott also has a semi-open design which seems to create that nice psycho-acoustic feeling of openness and space. So, the stage is wide, tall, and full. But it’s also deep with a very nice ability to render that depth for a multi-layered experience. One more aspect that I enjoy is that the stage doesn’t feel or sound pushed back. It doesn’t feel like I’m in some stadium. It sounds intimate, somewhat close. Couple that intimate sound with the full, wide, and deep sound field and you have yourself one awesome soundstage. Certainly a “pro”. 

Separation / Imaging 

I’ve said a bunch of times already that the Nott Phantom’s ability to separate elements of an imaginary stage is actually quite good. It has great clarity, black background, a big and open stage, tight transients, clean note outlines, and great micro-dynamics. Each of those descriptors point to a set which is going to have very nice note separation. Coincidentally, it certainly does. Imaging walks the same line perfectly because I have absolutely zero issues placing instruments in a very distinct and easy to interpret way. Plus, the Nott definitely does have that holographic style stage with a nice ability to sound layered from front to back. I am simply impressed. Both separation and imaging are very well done. 

Detail Retrieval 

I also have spoken highly of the Nott Phantom’s nicely detailed sound. While the Nott isn’t going to compete with super clinical and analytically tuned iems, it is very well detailed. This isn’t a sound which features a lot of masking, and it isn’t a sound which ever sounds super congested. It is clean throughout. Detail retrieval is very nice. Whether that be breath on mics, subtle harmonics, the scrape or finger slide on a guitar, the background noises in your favorite live track, whatever you can think of, the Nott will likely be able to resolve those subtle details fairly well.

Final thoughts on the Kinera Nott Phantom 

Friends, if you thought I praised this set a bit too hard just know that I went easy on you. I wanted to say a whole lot more folks, go harder, let the superfan come out in me. However, I held back as best I could. Basically, I am so impressed by what Kinera has done, especially when I hear Kilo-buck sets which can’t even stand next to this set. Having said that, it really ain’t that profound to have a less expensive iem sound better than an overpriced iem. We see this all the time and just because something costs a lot certainly doesn’t mean it’s actually worth that cost. I will declare that the Kinera Nott Phantom is one of the best sets that I’ve heard under $700. I will say that without blinking, without breaking a sweat, and I’ll say it pretty confidently too. 

A steal

Of course, there are a huge number of fantastic sets which surround the Kinera Nott Phantom. I’m afraid that many consumers will see that there’s no EST drivers, there’s no BC (bone-conduction) drivers, there’s not 24 drivers, and so they may pass this set up. Let me just say this; I feel that it is a big mistake to overlook this set for plastic reasons like that. The five drivers inside of the Nott Phantom are clearly high quality and the acoustic tech within the housing clearly does its job. I feel that you’d be hard pressed to find any set that will be head and shoulders above the Nott Phantom. I implore you to at least consider this set and check out other thoughts about it as well because it is a steal at $429.

The Why…

Why is the Kinera Nott Phantom a steal at $429? Well, because it has a kilo-buck style unboxing experience with a beautiful packaging and all of the accessories are of high quality. Friends, I love this cable. It is fat, it’s gorgeous, great aesthetic paired with the Nott, and it is modular. The tips are nice; the case is nice too. Really a nice experience. Also, the build is phenomenal as it’s made entirely out of aluminum along with a working Helmholtz faceplate design which does exactly as intended. Next, the design is bonkers good. Look at this set folks. The artistic ingenuity of the artisans and designers at Kinera is truly second to none. They are the best. This set is strikingly nice to look at. So, dope! 

That sound

With all of that said, none of it matters if the iem sounds like garbage. Thankfully, the Kinera Nott Phantom is one of the better tuned iems that I’ve heard around this range in a little while. It has that nice balance across the mix, it’s dynamic, it’s smooth and it’s crisp. It’s highly detailed, big and deep stage, multi-layered, great imaging, and every single note is highlighted with nice clarity within a black background. The bass is tight, but deep. It hits hard but it never offends. The bass can slam but never congests. It’s such a well-defined and clean bass. Also, the midrange is just like the girl who doesn’t know how pretty she is (which is the most beautiful way to be). It sits balanced with the rest of the mix yet has some of the most wonderfully melodic sounds. Super clean, great natural timbre, that natural semi-rich note weight, and it has very nice clarity for being as musically gifted as it is. Lastly, the treble is perfect for this tuning. In fact, the treble adds quite a lot to the overall sound. This set has a non-offensive yet energetic enough treble with solid extension into the upper highs while also keeping nice note body, nice note bite, and nice tonal accuracy. It’s just nice. Again, well detailed, big stage, and a very fluid experience altogether. Folks, I cannot recommend this set fast enough for $430. Yes, it is most certainly a steal. 

Conclusion 

To conclude my full review and feature of the Kinera Nott Phantom, I first have to give a huge thank you to Kinera and the fine people who work there. Kinera is one of those brands who send out samples and live with the results. Granted, I think they know how good these products are and so there isn’t much to worry about. However, they send them out and that’s it. No timetable, no need to read the review, they never feel the need to request certain words from the reviewer concerning those products. They are just a nice brand to work with. So, thank you very much Kinera. I also always have to Thank you, the reader, for taking your precious time to read my thoughts. It means the world to us at Mobileaudiophile.com as we would not be able to do what we love without your participation. Thank you very much. 

Other Perspectives 

Now that you’ve read my words I do hope you’ll go and read some other people’s words concerning the Kinera Nott Phantom. Just because I enjoy something does not mean the next person will. We are all so vastly different and each of us has our own unique ideals, thoughts, and perspectives. Every reviewer has their own likes and dislikes, and it’ll show up in our reviews. It’s up to you to decipher what that means to you. Anyways, I really feel it will do you great justice to simply click some more links and take in more thoughts. Try to get other perspectives folks. Especially at these prices, it can only help. With that, I think I’m done. So, please take good care, stay as safe as possible and always… God Bless!!