Supatrac Blackbird Farpoint Tonearm with Standard Mount
The Supatrac Blackbird Farpoint represents the greatest innovation in tonearm design for many years. However, all of the discussion about it’s design would be mere intellectual musing if it wasn’t for the fact that this innovation has resulted in astounding sonics. Not only is it being compared to elite level uber expensive designs, this arm is replacing them as the arm of choice in many reference systems around the world. It is proof that you can get class defining performance without needing to mortgage your home.
The ‘SUPA’ in SUPATRAC stands for the patented Sideways UniPivot Arm. All pivoted arms have certain challenges, the main one being that as the record pulls the tonearm forward, the tonearm moves backwards and forwards across the pivot point which affects the accuracy of the sound in the time domain. The Supatrac arm’s special bearing design directly opposes stylus drag at a single point of contact, eliminating microscopic play in the time axis and avoiding the scrubbing and roll movements which can degrade the performance of conventional uni-pivots and actually… all pivoted arms. The Blackbird’s SUPA bearing delivers unprecedented performance which gives the music a planted, solid, detailed, consistent sound. Due to its design, when the tonearm encounters a warped record, instead of being knocked out of the groove, the tonearm exerts a downward motion, keeping the styles tracking perfectly. This unprecedented tracking ability is part of the sonic magic that the Blackbird delivers.
Recently, Michael Fremer discovered and reviewed this tonearm (below) and had the same challenge we had. How do you communicate what a wonderful achievement this tonearm represents without introducing exaggerations and hyperbole? Let’s just say that we encourage you to audition a Supatrac Blackbird Farpoint with an open mind and see if you can stop thinking about it afterwards
The Blackbird is a new turntable tone arm with a revolutionary patented* ‘Sideways Uni-Pivot Arm’ bearing which outperforms traditional tone arms. The sideways uni-pivot bearing directly opposes stylus drag at a single point of contact, eliminating microscopic play in the time axis and avoiding the scrubbing and roll movements which can degrade the performance of conventional uni-pivots. The Blackbird‘s SUPAbearing delivers unprecedented performance.
* UK patent 2599073, international patents pending
REACTIVE DOWNFORCE
Loud passages increase stylus drag, producing oscillating vertical torque on normal tone arms – the stylus can struggle to stay in good contact with the groove. The SUPA bearing pivots just below the record level so that bursts of stylus drag produce a slight downwards torque, just when it’s needed.
That’s how the Blackbird hugs the groove with tenacity during punchy dynamics. Torque-Reaction Assisted Contact (TRAC) plays the hottest grooves with less distortion.
PERFECT TIMING
The Blackbird is designed to resist the pull of the cartridge with unyielding rigidity on the microscopic scale. Only by maintaining a perfect position in the groove’s time axis can a cartridge reproduce the true shape and explosive energy of a recorded signal. By directly opposing the oscillating drag forces from the cartridge, the SUPA bearing avoids scrubbing, chatter and the resulting time errors which can frustrate the retrieval of music.
DEATH STAR THRUST BOX
- Rigid frame
- Minimised inertia
- Low centre of gravity
- Paramagnetic
- Tough coating
UNIVERSAL SUPA
The Blackbird is designed to be lightweight and stable, fitting almost any turntable including classics like Linn, Technics, Garrard, Rega and many more. It can be matched with high-compliance cartridges due to its low inertia, and it comes with a mass adaptor to keep low-compliance cartridges under control too, making it compatible with the broadest range of cartridges from Shures to Miyajima Monos.
ARM TUBE
The Blackbird‘s arm tube is made of two pultruded carbon-fibre tubes bonded together. The headshell area is reinforced with aluminium and the left tube is filled with a damping foam. The arm tube is clamped firmly to the thrust box with six M4 machine screws and captive steel nuts for high rigidity. The arm forms an exceptionally inflexible and dead structure with tennis-racquet-class strength-to-weight ratio.
LENGTH & GEOMETRY
Due to its construction the Blackbird can be made in any length you desire. You may specify Stevenson geometry instead of the default Baerwald. Headshell slots are 7mm long to accommodate a range of cartridges. Prices for arms longer than 12 inches are available on request.
MOUNTS
Mounts are available for Rega, Technics, Linn, SME, Jelco, VPI and others. Custom mounts are available to order, price on request.
INERTIA
A nine-inch Blackbird has a base effective mass of roughly 10g. A mass adaptor is supplied for compatibility with cartridges which suit heavier arms. The range of compatible cartridges is extended by a ballast block which can be attached to the mass adaptor.
WIRES
The Blackbird is designed for maintenance and modification. If you have specific wiring requirements, the internal wiring is easily replaced, or you can order the Blackbird with custom internal wiring. By default the internal wiring is 30/0.04mm silk covered copper litz. If supplied, arm cables come with straight or right-angle DIN connectors as requested.
FINGER LIFTERS
The Blackbird comes with an additional rigid finger lift for those who do not wish to use the string finger lift.
However, the elegant simplicity of the tress of soft cord is recommended as it protects the cartridge from accidental downward pressure. With the tress you can ensure that the stylus has engaged with the groove at the beginning of the record before you let go, and you can grip it firmly at the end of a record before lifting the stylus out of the groove. Many skeptics have changed their minds after finding there is less stress with the tress.
MANUAL
More information about the Blackbird, how to install it, and how to configure it, is available in the pdf manual.
Product Specifications
Type
Sideways unipivot tonearm.
Internal Wiring
30/0.04 mm silk-covered copper Litz wire.
Arm Wand Material
Carbon fiber.
Arm Cable Connection
Straight or right-angle DIN connectors.
Effective Mass
10 g.
Warranty
5-year conditional warranty.
Documents / Links
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