crystal pickup
- noun
- /ˈkrɪstəl ˈpɪkʌp/
- Archaic
:
pickup de cristal
- Replacing a faulty crystal pickup can greatly improve the sound quality of an old turntable.
Examples
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The vintage record player uses a crystal pickup to read the grooves on the vinyl.
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Unlike magnetic cartridges, a crystal pickup generates voltage directly from the crystal's vibrations.
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The crystal pickup enhances sound quality.
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Many audiophiles prefer a crystal pickup for their turntables.
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Replacing a faulty crystal pickup can greatly improve the sound quality of an old turntable.
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The vintage record player uses a crystal pickup to read the grooves on the vinyl.
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Unlike magnetic cartridges, a crystal pickup generates voltage directly from the crystal's vibrations.
Synonyms
6
6.5
A part of a record player that holds the needle and makes sound
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is a straightforward noun compound: a 'pickup' (phono cartridge) described by the modifier 'crystal' — i.e. a pickup that uses a crystal or is crystal-based. This compositional relation is directly derivable from the known constituent meanings and follows common compound-noun patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the intended technical sense.
Etymology
Crystal pickup comes from old record players that used a tiny crystal which made electricity when it vibrated and a part that was literally a pickup to 'pick up' the groove's movements. So the image of a small crystal 'picking up' the record's vibrations explains why the term means the part of a record player that turns the needle's movement into an electrical signal.