CEFR C2

microphonic

adjective

Meaning

Sensitive to mechanical vibrations that are unintentionally converted into electrical signals, often causing unwanted noise or feedback in audio equipment.

Examples

  • The vintage vacuum tube became microphonic, producing a metallic ringing sound every time the floorboards creaked.
  • Engineers had to replace the microphonic capacitor because it was picking up vibrations from the cooling fan.

Synonyms: sensitive, responsive, vibration-prone, acoustically-sensitive