The Kuzma is an arm I know extremely well, both its strengths and its weaknesses. In this system, its bass transparency and control is a big part of allowing such large speakers to operate so effectively in what might be considered too small a space. But at the same time, it does reach extremely low, with real power and that presents its own challenges. In my far larger room at home, where I can support far more, low frequency energy and give the speakers more room to breath, this is a positive benefit, allowing the system to generate a convincing sense of enclosed acoustic space to go with the broad, deep soundstage. The Nighthawk offers a lighter, more sure-footed and agile bottom-end that, in this system offers an even better match to bandwidth and room. Add to that the listening bias towards smaller groups and less acoustically coherent recordings (or at least, recordings in which the overarching sense of acoustic is less important) and you can see/hear immediately how the SUPATRAC gets a jump-start in any head-to-head comparisons. The Kuzma is no slouch – and has delivered excellent results for several years – but the Nighthawk is just a better fit.
Having said that, it isn’t quite that simple. The sheer vivacity of the SUPATRAC’s musical delivery, its sense of fluid musical expression, the sense that the music in the groove was really driving the system in a direct and unimpeded fashion, was never less than impressive. But it was also a little seat of the pants, lacking the calm stability and planted presence of the Kuzma. Which is where fine-tuning the effective mass came in. Working incrementally to fix an optimum position for the saddle weight was time-consuming and tedious. A sliding weight would have helped a bit, but having to re-balance the arm each time was obviously unavoidable, especially as it quickly became apparent that balancing stability and substance against the lively dynamics and unfettered pace of the arm was down to minute variations in tracking force: way smaller than can be measured with an electronic stylus balance. This was a case of tiny, almost non-rotations of the auxiliary bolt and repeated listening, but the effort was well worthwhile. Get the tracking force nailed on and the energy, life and presence in the musical performance reached a whole new level, mixing much of the Kuzma’s stable, physical presence (if not its spatial development) with the sense of musical enthusiasm and purpose that is the hallmark of the SUPATRAC arms. It’s a winning combination.
Playing the Alina Ibragimova/Mendelssohn D Minor Concerto (Hyperion LPA 67995) the Nighthawk really captures the sheer agility and effortless spirit in the playing, bringing a fresh, musical brilliance to what is already an impressive performance. Jazz, from Sonny Rollins through to Count Basie, revelled in the sheer clarity, resolution and micro-dynamic definition delivered with such apparent ease by the SupaTrac arm. Playing ‘Noise In The Attic’ (from a test pressing of the Art Blakey album Like Someone In Love) Lee Morgan and Wayne Shorter absolutely shred their lines, the trumpet full of punch, spit and bite, the rip and reed detail of the sax almost preternaturally immediate. Yet play 88 Basie St and the arm allows the Basie Big Band to lope through it with their characteristic mix of relaxed confidence and explosive energy, all underpinned by the Count’s typically minimalist prompts and accents. The easy musical clarity and communication the Nighthawk brings to record replay, it’s ability to capture not just the character of the performance, but the character of the performers, encapsulates exactly what makes vinyl so special and preserves its relevance.