SUPATRAC Blackbird Tonearm

A patented Sideways Uni-Pivot Bearing tonearm with carbon-fiber arm tube, wide cartridge compatibility, and selectable length and geometry

The SUPATRAC Blackbird Farpoint is the current revision of SUPATRAC’s Blackbird tonearm, built around the company’s patented Sideways Uni-Pivot Arm (SUPA) bearing. Instead of using a conventional vertical uni-pivot arrangement, the SUPA bearing directly opposes stylus drag at a single point of contact, reducing microscopic play in the groove’s time axis and avoiding the scrubbing and rolling movements that can limit conventional uni-pivot designs.

The Farpoint revision improves the Blackbird’s performance and adaptability while retaining the design’s core appeal: a light, rigid, low-inertia tonearm that can fit a wide range of turntables and cartridges. SUPATRAC notes compatibility with classic Linn, Technics, Garrard, Rega, and many other turntables, with a standard Blackbird mount that also suits SME, Kuzma, Pro-Ject, Michell, Brinkmann, TW Acustic, and others.

Torque-Reaction-Assisted Contact

SUPATRAC’s Torque-Reaction-Assisted Contact, or TRAC, is designed to help the stylus maintain groove contact when music gets demanding. Because the SUPA bearing pivots just below record level, bursts of stylus drag create a slight downward torque at the moment it is needed, helping the Blackbird play dynamic passages and hot grooves with lower distortion.

Built for Rigidity Where It Matters

The Blackbird is designed to resist cartridge pull in the groove’s time axis, where microscopic instability can blur timing, impact, and musical energy. The arm tube is made from pultruded carbon fiber, with an aluminum-reinforced headshell area, damping foam inside the tube cavity, and a firm mechanical connection to the thrust box for a rigid, low-resonance structure.

Wide Cartridge and Turntable Compatibility

With low inertia, the Blackbird can be matched with high-compliance cartridges, while the supplied mass adaptor helps maintain control with lower-compliance cartridges. SUPATRAC also allows the Blackbird to be specified in different lengths and geometries, with Baerwald as the default and Stevenson geometry available on request.

Features

• Patented Sideways Uni-Pivot Arm (SUPA) bearing
• Torque-Reaction-Assisted Contact (TRAC) behavior for improved groove contact during dynamic passages
• Blackbird Farpoint revision for improved performance and adaptability
• Pultruded carbon-fiber arm tube
• Aluminum-reinforced headshell area
• Damping-foam-filled arm tube cavity
• Rigid arm-tube-to-thrust-box clamping with machine screws and steel nuts
• Low-inertia design for high-compliance cartridge compatibility
• Supplied mass adaptor for lower-compliance cartridges
• Available in 9", 9.3", 10.5", 12", and custom lengths
• Baerwald geometry standard; Stevenson and custom geometries available
• Standard Blackbird mount compatible with many Rega, Linn, SME, Kuzma, Pro-Ject, Michell, Brinkmann, TW Acustic, and other turntables
• 30/0.04 mm silk-covered copper litz internal wiring
  
• Protractor included for setup
• Additional rigid finger lift included

Included Accessories

• Setup protractor
• Mass adaptor
• Additional rigid finger lift

Specifications

Type: Sideways Uni-Pivot tonearm

Bearing: Patented SUPA bearing

Arm Tube: Pultruded carbon fiber with aluminum-reinforced headshell area and damping-foam-filled cavity

Internal Wiring: 30/0.04 mm silk-covered copper litz

Standard Geometry: Baerwald

Optional Geometry: Stevenson and custom geometries available

Available Lengths: 9", 9.3", 10.5", 12", and custom lengths

Blackbird Farpoint Geometry (9"): 212 mm pillar position, 221.5 mm actual pivot, 239 mm length, 23° offset, 11 g inertia

Blackbird Farpoint Geometry (9.3"): 222 mm pillar position, 232.5 mm actual pivot, 249 mm length, 22° offset, 13 g inertia

Blackbird Farpoint Geometry (10.5"): 252 mm pillar position, 262 mm actual pivot, 277 mm length, 19.5° offset, 15 g inertia

Blackbird Farpoint Geometry (12"): 292 mm pillar position, 302 mm actual pivot, 315 mm length, 17.5° offset, 19 g inertia

Mounting: Standard Blackbird mount compatible with Rega, Linn, SME, Kuzma, Pro-Ject, Michell, Brinkmann, TW Acustic, and many other turntables