Munich High End '25

SUPATRAC will be back again in the Döhmann/Cessaro room which received some 'best of show' mentions last year, and also hosting room T16, Hall 4, level 0 (ground) with Hart Lab, OePhi and HSE Swiss Audio.

AXPONA Chicago '25

Michael Fremer interviews SUPATRAC founder about the Nighthawk in the Refined Audio room at AXPONA 2025:

AXPONA Chicago '25

SUPATRAC will be present at AXPONA 2025, demonstrating in Refined Audio's room 688.

Golden Ear Award!

The SUPATRAC Blackbird Farpoint has received The Absolute Sound's 2024 Golden Ear Award!

Lead Times

All SUPATRAC tone-arms are hand crafted, so lead times may vary. It is likely that you will receive your order after several months. We log each order on the schedule when payment is received and try to process orders in chonological order. However, although the order list is a good indicator of waiting time, working in batches of similar arm lengths means that arms may be sent out not strictly in chronological order. We are producing arms faster than ever, and plan to continue accelerating production. We thank you for your patience.

Robert Harley Stunned

Robert Harley of The Absolute Sound reports in his Munich 2024 speaker round-up that the Döhmann / SUPATRAC / AIRTIGHT / Alieno / Cessaro room was "stunning in its realistic portrayal of instrumental timbre, dynamics, imaging, and ability to conjure up the illusion of the physical presence of musical instruments. It was like being transported to the recording studio by a time machine."

Audiophile Style Best of Munich

'The Computer Audiophile' chose the Döhmann / SUPATRAC / AIRTIGHT / Alieno / Cessaro room in his top four at Munich High End 2024 despite his open dislike of the vinyl format, and called it "the most concert-like experience I’ve ever heard". He was "surprised, delighted, and a bit scared by what this system could reproduce".

Stereophile on Nighthawk

Ken Micallef of Stereophile has described the Döhmann Helix One / Nighthawk / AIRTIGHT / Alieno / Cessaro room at Munich High End as "a pure thrill ride of physicality, power, and—yes—purity".

SUPATRAC Nighthawk

Our new Nighthawk tone-arm further explores the SUPA concept by relaxing the Blackbird design's constraints on size, weight and production cost. It is the result of an uncompromising quest for tracking performance, accuracy and musical pleasure. Prototypes were demonstrated at Munich High End 2024 on the Döhmann Helix One, the Grand Prix Audio Parabolica and Garrard 301. It will ship by Q4 2024 at 11,900 GBP, 12,400 GBP and 12,900 GBP for the 9 inch, 10.5 inch and 12 inch versions respectively. A £1000 discount is available to those who wish to upgrade Blackbird orders in process. Pre-order now to beat the rush.

Nighthawk First Impressions

Roy Gregory of GY8 says the Nighthawk has "all the bounce, energy and get up and go of the Blackbird, but underpinned by significantly greater weight, scale and power". Read his first impressions of a Nighthawk prototype mounted on a Grand Prix Parabolica at GY8.

Munich High End 2024

SUPATRAC tone-arms are being exhibited in three rooms at Munich this year. We are a partner in the Moonriver/OePhi/Lucas Audio room (Hall 2, ground floor, room F11) and the CH Precision/Vienna Acoustics/Grand Prix room (A 4.1, E101),. There is also a Nighthawk on the Döhmann Helix One in the Cessaro room (H4 F001). Please come to say hello and listen!

May 2024 Prices

SUPATRAC prices will rise on 1st May 2024. UK RRP for a 9 inch Blackbird Farpoint will be GBP 3900, 10.5 inch GBP 4300 and 12 inch GBP 4700. Orders paid before 1st May 2024 will be at current prices. This is necessary because SUPATRAC will be expanding production and support, and relying more heavily on dealers and distributors to cope with burgeoning demand.

SUPATRAC at Axpona

SUPATRAC exhibited with Convergent Audio Technologies amplifiers and OePhi loudspeakers at AXPONA in Chicago. This was the first US demonstration of the Blackbird and our room was very busy following the giddy Tracking Angle review.

Tracking Angle Review

Michael Fremer says the SUPATRAC Blackbird is "not 'better for the money', but just startlingly better. Fundamentally better." Read his review and listen to $7,500 of arm and cartridge compared to $83,000 of arm and cartridge. He says "It was like the arm was laughing! I know that's nuts but listening to it was like watching a star athlete make the impossible look easy."

Mr Fremer Drops

Michael Fremer has uploaded high resolution files so that you can compare the SUPATRAC Blackbird with a far more expensive tone-arm using a Lyra Atlas Lambda SL. Many commenters have expressed a preference for the Blackbird after listening. This is why Michael said "its sonic and mechanical performance are remarkable at any price" and "it demands to be heard before you buy any new tonearm". He reveals which file is which here.

On Mr Fremer's K3

The indomitable Michael Fremer has uploaded a video of a 12 inch Blackbird on his Oswalds Mill Audio K3 turntable as a preview to his premier review of the Farpoint Blackbird on the Tracking Angle. Listen to five wonderful tracks from his extensive vinyl collection!

Roy Gregory Interview

Roy Gregory has posted an update on Gy8.eu which includes an interview with the sideways uni-pivot arm's inventor about how the ground-breaking mechanical bearing was born.

Blackbird on Helix

Döhmann Audio demonstrated the Helix Two Mk3 turntable at the StereoNET Hifi Show in Melbourne with a Blackbird Farpoint.

Audio Video Show Warsaw

SUPATRAC exhibited the Farpoint Blackbird to a packed room at the Warsaw hifi show with Moonriver amps and OePhi speakers and cables.

Nirvana Distribution

We are excited to announce that SUPATRAC products will now be distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Nirvana Sound.

Blackbird Farpoint Revision

SUPATRAC is excited to announce the Blackbird Farpoint, a revision to the Blackbird which improves performance and adaptability. More information is available in the press release.

UK Hifi Show Live 2023

The SUPATRAC room at UK Hifi Show Live was standing-room only for much of the weekend as crowds thronged in to hear what a modest system can do with a SUPATRAC front-end. We had many notable visitors including Alan Sircom, Mark Döhmann of Döhmann Audio, Kevin Wolff of CH Precision, Russ Andrews and many other dealers, distributors and fellow vinyl-fans.

Blackbird at Audio Works, Cheadle, Manchester South

Audio Works has a demonstration Blackbird and is hosting an open day on 28th September 2023. If you're in the region, don't miss it!

Gy8 Review

Roy Gregory at Gy8 says the SUPATRAC Blackbird is a "musical bargain of monumental proportions". Read his review to find out more.

The Ear Review

Chris Beeching at The Ear has awarded the SUPATRAC Blackbird five out of five stars, saying "my record playing world will never be the same again". Read his review to find out more.

News:

As of 14th June 2023 SUPATRAC tone-arms include a lever-lift. Blackbird-owners may request a free replacement bias rig which is compatible with widely-available lever-lift devices, or return their pillars to be converted at a price of £125.

News:

SUPATRAC's stand at Munich High-End 2023 was crowded throughout the four days of the world's biggest audio show.

News:

Michael Fremer of The Tracking Angle devoted half of his day-four coverage of Munich High End 2023 to discussion of the Blackbird.

SUPATRAC will be sending him a Blackbird for review.

News:

After auditioning, the Moonriver/Sonner/Pachanko/Oephi room replaced a €12,000 turntable with SUPATRAC's Technics SL-1200 Mk5/Blackbird/Audio Technica AT-33Sa and demonstrated to executives and engineers from the world's biggest turntable and cartridge makers.

News:

It was standing room only as visitors thronged to the SUPATRAC room at the 2023 Bristol Hifi Show. Thanks to all who came to see and hear the Blackbird delivering new levels of dynamics and tracking accuracy via a modest portable system in A/B comparison with another popular tone-arm.