crystal microphone
- noun
- Archaic
:
micrófono de cristal
- Many vintage tape recorders used a crystal microphone due to its reliability and low cost.
Examples
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Because of its sensitivity, a crystal microphone was chosen for the recording session.
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The old radio was equipped with a crystal microphone for voice transmission.
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The crystal microphone captured every note perfectly.
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I bought a new crystal microphone for recording.
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During the live concert, the sound engineer adjusted the settings on the crystal microphone to enhance the vocals.
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Musicians often prefer a crystal microphone for its ability to capture the nuances of their performances.
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For an authentic recording of the acoustic guitar, she relied on a crystal microphone that provided clear sound quality.
Synonyms
194
3.5
A small object that changes sound into electricity for recording or making sound louder
A microphone that uses a small crystal to turn sound into electric signals
A device that turns sound into an electrical signal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a microphone that uses a piezoelectric crystal' is directly derivable from combining 'crystal' (a piece of quartz) with 'microphone' (an instrument that converts sound), i.e. a microphone made with or using a crystal. This follows ordinary noun–noun composition and is cross‑linguistically transparent, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Crystal microphone is named for the small crystal inside that makes electricity when 'sound' hits it, and microphone means a device that picks up sound. So the name tells you it is a microphone that uses a crystal to turn 'sound' into an electrical signal.