Quality underwater acoustic equipment
Design and manufacturing of affordable hydrophones and underwater instrumentation for research, education and field applications.
Measured, then published
Every model carries a 30 m rated depth and a 5 m RG174 cable with a BNC connector. The numbers on the page are the numbers on the bench.
Built and tested in-house
Every hydrophone is handcrafted and tested before it ships. Pulled apart, it is seven parts: two element discs behind a copper inner shield, two housing halves 3D printed to our own design and sealed in polyurethane, a strain relief and the cable.
Industrially designed, made to be used
Every AquaHear starts as an engineering model: a compact head, a strain-relieved cable and a standard BNC connector. It plugs into our preamplifiers or any high-impedance preamp, with nothing to configure and nothing to learn.
Three models. One honest price each.
From $59.90. Bare hydrophone or a complete kit with preamplifier, cables and a foam-cut case.
Product line
Hydrophones and underwater instrumentation
All three hydrophones ship with a 5 m RG174 cable and a BNC connector, and work with our RigidEnhancer preamplifiers or any high-impedance preamp.
AquaHear 1.0
Our most affordable model. Compact and reliable.
AquaHear 1.5
An improved version with an extended usable frequency range for better recording at higher frequencies.
AquaHear 2.5
A broadband, omnidirectional hydrophone for AUV systems, simple lab use and experiments.
RigidEnhancer 2.0
Five switched gain ranges, measured and published. Pairs with every AquaHear.
RigidEnhancer 1.1
Portable preamplifier for passive piezoelectric hydrophones and contact microphones. Works with recorders and high-impedance inputs.
Which hydrophone?
Three models, one cable and connector. Pick by pickup pattern and the band you record in.
| Model | AquaHear 1.0Direction-oriented | AquaHear 1.5Direction-oriented | AquaHear 2.5Omnidirectional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Education, pools, first recordings, contact-mic use. | Field recording and listening where detail in the upper band matters. | Research, AUVs and lab work that need an omnidirectional, broadband pickup. |
| Frequency range | 20 Hz to 20 kHz | 20 Hz to 20 kHz | 20 Hz to 90 kHz |
| Rated depth | 30 m | 30 m | 30 m |
| Cable | 5 m RG174, BNC | 5 m RG174, BNC | 5 m RG174, BNC |
| Price | $59.90 | $99.90 | $149.90 |
| Drawing | AH10 drawing (PDF) | AH15 drawing (PDF) | AH25 drawing (PDF) |
AquaHear 1.0
Direction-orientedEducation, pools, first recordings, contact-mic use.
- Frequency range
- 20 Hz to 20 kHz
- Rated depth
- 30 m
- Cable
- 5 m RG174, BNC
AquaHear 1.5
Direction-orientedField recording and listening where detail in the upper band matters.
- Frequency range
- 20 Hz to 20 kHz
- Rated depth
- 30 m
- Cable
- 5 m RG174, BNC
AquaHear 2.5
OmnidirectionalResearch, AUVs and lab work that need an omnidirectional, broadband pickup.
- Frequency range
- 20 Hz to 90 kHz
- Rated depth
- 30 m
- Cable
- 5 m RG174, BNC
- Ships worldwide, trackedFedEx, EMS or ECO Post, your choice at checkout. 1 to 3 business days handling.
- US import duties coveredThe price at checkout is the price you pay.
- 1-year limited warrantyCovers manufacturing defects. Every unit is tested before it ships.
- Answers within 12 hoursCards and PayPal accepted. Custom cable lengths and connectors on request.
Kits
Everything you need, in one case
Every AquaHear is available on its own or as a bundled kit with a preamplifier, cables and a foam-cut case. Complete kits add headphones and an amplifier.
Pool Leak Detection Kit
Two hydrophones, preamplifier, headphones and amplifier, with a step-by-step manual for locating leaks by sound.
Proud to support student innovation
We were honored to support the development of ARIEL, a student-built autonomous underwater vehicle, as part of an academic project at the University of Haifa's Autonomous Navigation and Sensor Fusion Lab (ANSFL).
Supporting hands-on learning and student-led engineering initiatives is an important part of our mission.
About
Natako Audio
Natako Audio is a young company dedicated to changing the way people view underwater sound equipment by combining reliability, quality and affordability.
Our mission is simple: to make the beauty and uniqueness of underwater sound available to everyone, from researchers and filmmakers to students and educators, divers and enthusiasts. As past consumers ourselves, we create every product with a focus on quality, extended service life and honest value.
We don't believe in overpricing or unnecessary complexity. Instead, we focus on practical engineering, transparent specifications and responsive customer support, so that every user will be confident in choosing our products.
Articles
From the field
Hydrophones immersion: deep dive into the Mediterranean
Recording from a yacht at 5, 10, 15 and 30 metres, with the engine on, off, and music playing on deck.
Playing on wine glasses: how to make a glass harp
Tuning glasses with water and recording them from the inside with a hydrophone.
Hydrophone recording: how to record sound underwater
Five steps to your first underwater recording, and how to choose the right hydrophone and equipment for it.
Before you order
Three questions we get every week
Do I need a preamplifier?
Field recorders such as the Zoom and MixPre II take the hydrophone directly. Laptops and line-level inputs need one: a RigidEnhancer or any high-impedance microphone preamp.
How deep can I go?
Every hydrophone is function-tested and sea-tested to 30 m. For deeper work, write to us before you order.
Are they calibrated?
Every unit is tested, not individually calibrated to an absolute reference. For calibrated measurements, compare against a reference sensor.
Contact
Questions, custom solutions, technical advice
If you have questions, require a customized solution, or would simply like technical advice, please do not hesitate to contact us. We welcome all inquiries.