Immersive Underwater Audio Capture Using a WidebandSpatial Hydrophone Array

Ryckebusch J. Immersive Underwater Audio Capture Using a WidebandSpatial Hydrophone Array. In: Express Paper. Audio Engineering Society; 2026. Paper 404. Available from: https://aes.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=23148

@inproceedings{Ryckebusch2026_23148,
  author = {Ryckebusch, Jules},
  title = {{Immersive Underwater Audio Capture Using a WidebandSpatial Hydrophone Array}},
  note = {Paper 404},
  year = {2026},
  month = may,
  publisher = {Audio Engineering Society},
  url = {https://aes.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=23148}
}

TY  - CPAPER
TI  - Immersive Underwater Audio Capture Using a WidebandSpatial Hydrophone Array
AU  - Ryckebusch, Jules
M1  - Paper 404
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/28
UR  - https://aes.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=23148
PB  - Audio Engineering Society
LA  - en
AB  - Immersive audio continues to expand beyond traditional studio and terrestrial field-recording environments, yet underwater soundscapesparticularly those involving marine mammals remain largely documented in mono or stereo formats. This paper presents a practical and low-cost approach for capturing immersive underwater audio using a newly developed wideband hydrophone and a multichannel array optimized for marine environments. The hydrophones, designed by the author, feature a low noise floor, extended frequency response exceeding 100 kHz, and direct compatibility with standard P48 phantom-powered audio recorders, enabling deployment without specialized underwater preamplifiers or power systems. To translate established immersive recording techniques into the ocean environment, an array architecture was developed based on a compact eight-element cube geometry. Two variants of the array were constructed to account for the significantly higher speed of sound in water compared to air, allowing the spatial characteristics of underwater sources to be captured with appropriate inter-element spacing. Field recordings were conducted off the coast of Hawaii in January during the peak season for humpback whale song. Recordings were made at multiple depths and positions to explore variations in reverberation, propagation, and ambient biological activity. Preliminary results indicate that the system captures detailed spatial cues from humpback whale vocalizations while simultaneously preserving the rich ambient marine soundscape. The extended ultrasonic response further allows slowed or pitch-shifted playback to reveal fine temporal structures not typically audible. This work demonstrates a feasible method for immersive underwater recording and provides a foundation for both scientific research and creative content production.
ER  -