SUPATRAC Nighthawk Tonearm

A medium-mass SUPA tonearm with 1" pillar, 8 mm pivot bolt, extended arm geometry, increased TRAC behavior, and 9", 9.3", 10.5", and 12" versions

The SUPATRAC Nighthawk is the higher-performance tonearm in SUPATRAC’s range, taking the company’s patented Sideways Uni-Pivot Arm (SUPA) concept further by relaxing some of the Blackbird’s design constraints on effective mass, arm-board compatibility, and manufacturing cost. The result is a medium-mass tonearm designed for greater tracking performance, accuracy, and musical authority.

Like the Blackbird, the Nighthawk uses SUPATRAC’s sideways uni-pivot bearing principle, which directly opposes stylus drag at a single point of contact. By resisting microscopic play in the groove’s time axis, the design is intended to reduce the scrubbing, chatter, and timing errors that can affect conventional bearing systems.

Increased TRAC Behavior

SUPATRAC’s Torque-Reaction-Assisted Contact, or TRAC, takes advantage of the bearing’s pivot position just below record level. When loud passages increase stylus drag, the arm produces a slight downward torque at the moment it is needed, helping the stylus maintain secure groove contact during dynamic passages and hot cuts.

A More Substantial SUPA Design

The Nighthawk is built as a medium-mass arm with a 1" pillar, an 8 mm pivot bolt, and a more complex composite assembly than the Blackbird. SUPATRAC also extends arm length by 17 mm and increases vertical torque reaction, giving the Nighthawk a more substantial mechanical platform while preserving the central SUPA bearing concept.

Mounting and Setup Flexibility

The standard Nighthawk mount is compatible with Linn, SME, Kuzma, Pro-Ject, Brinkmann, TW Acustic, and many other turntables. Because of the Nighthawk’s thicker pillar, the standard Nighthawk mount is not compatible with Rega-type mounts, though custom mounts are available to order.

Features

• Patented Sideways Uni-Pivot Arm (SUPA) bearing concept
• Torque-Reaction-Assisted Contact (TRAC) behavior for improved groove contact during dynamic passages
• Higher-performance SUPA design that relaxes Blackbird constraints on effective mass, arm-board compatibility, and manufacturing cost
• Medium-mass tonearm design
• 1" pillar
• 8 mm pivot bolt
• More complex composite assembly than the Blackbird
• Arm length extended by 17 mm compared with Blackbird geometry
• Increased vertical torque reaction
• Available in 9", 9.3", 10.5", and 12" versions
• Baerwald geometry standard; Stevenson and custom geometries available
• Headshell slots allow cartridge-position adjustment
• Standard Nighthawk mount compatible with Linn, SME, Kuzma, Pro-Ject, Brinkmann, TW Acustic, and many other turntables
• Custom mounts available to order
• Protractor included for setup
• 30/0.04 mm silk-covered copper litz internal wiring
  
• Mass adaptor supplied for cartridge-matching flexibility

Included Accessories

• Setup protractor
• Mass adaptor

Specifications

Type: Sideways Uni-Pivot tonearm

Bearing: Patented SUPA bearing

Effective Mass: Medium mass

Pillar: 1"

Pivot Bolt: 8 mm

Assembly: Composite assembly

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", and 12"

Nighthawk Geometry (9"): 212 mm pillar position, 227.5 mm actual pivot, 244.5 mm length, 22.5° offset, 13 g inertia

Nighthawk Geometry (9.3"): 222 mm pillar position, 238.5 mm actual pivot, 254.5 mm length, 21.5° offset, 15 g inertia

Nighthawk Geometry (10.5"): 252 mm pillar position, 268 mm actual pivot, 282.5 mm length, 19.5° offset, 18 g inertia

Nighthawk Geometry (12"): 292 mm pillar position, 308 mm actual pivot, 320.5 mm length, 17° offset, 22 g inertia

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

Mounting Note: Standard Nighthawk mount is not compatible with Rega-type mounts due to pillar thickness; custom mounts are available to order

Notes: Actual inertia will vary depending on cartridge weight and position, the amount of mass attached to the arm, and the position of that mass