Hydrophones

Hydrophones are engineered to record sound underwater.

They have extremely high impedance and require matched preamps to avoid sounding “tinny” and lacking bass.

If you’re interested in stereo underwater recordings, try spacing your hydrophones at 3’ or more. Because sound travels 4x faster underwater, closely spaced hydrophones will have very limited stereo width.

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Best Budget

JrF D-Series Hydrophone

The JrF D-Series hydrophone is a popular budget hydrophone made by UK sound artist Jez Riley French.

It is very sensitive and low noise but requires a preamp for optimal sound performance.

Best Overall

Aquarian H2a

The Aquarian H2a is a professional hydrophone with a built-in preamp.

It has low noise performance and is offered with XLR or 3.5mm fittings.