HP-A1 Conditioning amplifier
$399.00
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HP-A1 Conditioning amplifier
$399.00
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The HP-A1 is the recommended pairing for any Burns AquaEar hydrophone. It powers the hydrophone, boosts the signal, filters out low-frequency noise, and gives you speaker, headphone, and line outputs — all in one unit. Most hydrophone setups are incomplete without it.
What it does
- Supplies DC power to the active hydrophone through the cable — no separate power supply needed
- Provides 40 dB of clean gain, bringing the hydrophone signal up to a usable level for any recorder or PA
- 12 dB/octave bandpass filter cuts low-frequency vessel noise, flow rumble, and cable motion artefacts before they reach your recorder
- Independent speaker output for real-time monitoring on a vessel PA or powered speaker
- Headphone output for private monitoring — useful on research vessels or during deployment
- Line output for connection to a recorder, laptop interface, or mixing desk
- Runs on 12–24V DC — compatible with vessel power, mains adaptors, or the Burns Battery Box
Do I need this?
Whale watching vessel
Yes. Connects your hydrophone to the PA and powers it. The most common setup on tour boats.
Field researcher
Recommended. Provides gain and filtering before your DAQ or recorder — improves signal quality significantly.
Recording to a laptop
Yes. The HP-A1 brings the hydrophone to line level so any audio interface can record it cleanly.
DAQ with its own preamp
You may not need it for gain, but it still provides power and filtering. Contact us to confirm.
If your recorder provides plug-in power and a low-noise preamp, you may be able to skip the HP-A1 — but contact us first to confirm your signal chain will work correctly.
Specifications
| Gain | 40 dB |
| Filter type | 12 dB/octave bandpass |
| Outputs | Speaker, headphone (independent), line out |
| Power input | 12–24V DC |
| Hydrophone power | Supplied via cable (phantom-style) |
| Compatible hydrophones | All Burns AquaEar active models |
Typical signal chains
Whale watching / PA system:
AquaEar hydrophone
→
HP-A1
→
Vessel PA / powered speaker
Field research / recording:
AquaEar hydrophone
→
HP-A1
→
Recorder / audio interface
Remote / off-grid deployment:
AquaEar hydrophone
→
HP-A1
→
Recorder
+
Battery Box (power)
Power options
The HP-A1 accepts 12–24V DC. You can power it from a vessel's 12V circuit, a mains DC adaptor, or the Burns Battery Box for fully portable field use. A suitable DC adaptor is not included — contact us if you need advice on a power source for your specific setup.