Ultrasonic transmission and reception apparatus comprising: a transmission circuit for generating a transmission signal at its signal outputs (21, 21'), an ultrasonic transducer which is set up to convert electrical signals into sound signals and to convert sound signals into electrical signals, a transformer, the primary side of which is connected to the signal outputs (21, 21') of the transmission circuit and the secondary side of which is connected to the ultrasonic transducer, and a reception circuit for processing a reception signal applied to its reception input, wherein the reception input of the reception circuit is connected to the transformer via an additional winding tap of the transformer, wherein the additional winding tap is inserted into the transformer in such a manner that the transformed transmission signal at the reception input of the reception circuit is amplified with a lower gain factor in its voltage amplitude than the transformed transmission signal which excites the ultrasonic transducer, wherein the transformer comprises, on the primary side, a primary coil having a first primary winding section with at least n windings, and wherein the transmission circuit is connected to the first primary winding section and excites the transformer via n windings of the first primary winding section, characterized in that the transformer comprises, on its secondary side, a secondary coil having y windings which comprises a partial winding section with z windings, where z<y, the ultrasonic transducer is connected to the transformer via all y windings of the secondary coil, the reception circuit is connected to the transformer via all z windings of the partial winding section, and the ratio of the numbers of windings z and n is selected in such a manner that the maximum amplitude of a transmission signal which is directly transmitted to the reception circuit via the transformer does not exceed the dielectric strength of the reception circuit. a transmission circuit for generating a transmission signal at its signal outputs (21, 21'), an ultrasonic transducer which is set up to convert electrical signals into sound signals and to convert sound signals into electrical signals, a transformer, the primary side of which is connected to the signal outputs (21, 21') of the transmission circuit and the secondary side of which is connected to the ultrasonic transducer, and a reception circuit for processing a reception signal applied to its reception input, wherein the reception input of the reception circuit is connected to the transformer via an additional winding tap of the transformer, wherein the additional winding tap is inserted into the transformer in such a manner that the transformed transmission signal at the reception input of the reception circuit is amplified with a lower gain factor in its voltage amplitude than the transformed transmission signal which excites the ultrasonic transducer, wherein the transformer comprises, on the primary side, a primary coil having a first primary winding section with at least n windings, and wherein the transmission circuit is connected to the first primary winding section and excites the transformer via n windings of the first primary winding section, characterized in that the transformer comprises, on its secondary side, a secondary coil having y windings which comprises a partial winding section with z windings, where z<y, the ultrasonic transducer is connected to the transformer via all y windings of the secondary coil, the reception circuit is connected to the transformer via all z windings of the partial winding section, and the ratio of the numbers of windings z and n is selected in such a manner that the maximum amplitude of a transmission signal which is directly transmitted to the reception circuit via the transformer does not exceed the dielectric strength of the reception circuit.