crystal set

Related to crystal set: Crystal radio

a crystal set

A now-outdated type of radio. The "crystal" in the name refers to a "crystal detector," one of the component parts. My grandparents talk about how they spent many a night huddled around the crystal set—whatever that is.
See also: crystal, set
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

crystal set

An early type of radio. The first type of radio had only five components: an antenna that picked up the signal, a wire tuning coil with which the listener selected the station, an earphone to hear the broadcast, a ground wire to dissipate the electricity, and at the heart of the apparatus, a crystal detector that produced the audible signal. The crystal was a tiny chip of crystalline ore or stone such as galena. Generations of youths built the sets from scratch and spent hours hunched over the device to hear broadcasts from nearby stations. The reception range tended to be limited, so the introduction of diode tubes that increased reception marked the end of crystal sets' popularity.
See also: crystal, set
Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price
See also:
  • a crystal set
  • crystal ball
  • a crystal ball
  • make fish of one and flesh of another
  • work up to the collar
  • in soaped-pig fashion
  • pull caps
  • backdoor trot
  • backdoor trot(s)
References in periodicals archive
"This was an Aladdin's cave of amateur radio where I bought parts to build crystal sets and, later, transistor radios."
Tuning in to radio shop memories
The late Mr Walker amassed a collection of more than 500 radios, telephones, phonographs, gramophones, radiograms, record players, crystal sets, and TVs dating from the end of the 19th Century to the 1970s.
It's a sale of the sounds of the century; Pensioner puts radio collection up for auction
Glass and crystal sets, including decanters, rose just 1 percent, as did glass and crystal drinkware.
A DRINKING PROBLEM? RISING COSTS AND A FOCUS ON EMPHASIZING PARTICULAR ITEMS RATHER THAN COLLECTIONS LED TO A SLOWDOWN IN SALES IN THE BARWARE CATEGORY
His father, a policeman, had a crystal set - an early radio - with headphones which were suspended in front of a metal washing up bowl.
What You Thinka I worked on Spitfires during the War
Marks & Spencer antique circle earrings and matching necklace; Bella Mode's drop earrings; Solange AzaguryPartridge bracelet; Erickson Beamon collection; Butterfly necklaces from House of Fraser; Russian-theme Mikey earrings and necklace; Green crystal set from Next
Shopping: Festive Fashion: Bring a bit of sparkle to your Christmas
The picture message will be to text messaging what a widescreen, surround sound TV is to granny's crystal set.
Cassandra: A mobile snap-trap
This all began at the tender age of four when someone put a pair of earphones on his head through which he listened to a crystal set. For more than 60 years this fascination with sound technology, connected to records, radio and television has never ceased, and his books, memorabilia - and knowledge reflect all this.
Sound and vision tribute to Tom
The Active Secret Press were a small band of islanders who used a crystal set to tune into BBC broadcasts and then typed what they heard to distribute around Guernsey.
MIDLAND: Secret soccer paper under hammer
A lucky fan on every flight also received either a Boro shirt or champagne and crystal set courtesy of the airport.
Footie is a flying success
Beautyconsumer.com is treating 250 of you lovely lot to travel- sized versions of Germaine De Capuccini's complexion care products in its Crystal Set, worth pounds 15 each.
Beauty: Freebie file
It's an Art Deco vintage-style crystal set stainless steel bracelet mother of pearl dial watch, pounds 110 by Rotary, and perfect for the season's tailored pencil skirts and nipped in waists.
Retail therapy
will set you back pounds 15 a nail and you can have more or less any size and colour crystal set into acrylic overlays on natural or fake nails.
Beauty: Fabulously flash; Wanna show off that fab tan (real or not)? Well, it's time to unleash your inner brazen hussy and flash your cash Lil' Kim style. Why? Trailer park trash is where it's at. So our beauty divas say, if you've got it, flaunt it
Some boxes carry miniatures set beneath glass, while others are of rock crystal set in gold mounts, and therefore transparent in a beautiful way.
Antiques/collecting: Boxed in by beauty; Richard Edmonds on a forthcoming sale of ornate boxes 'beautiful enough to bring whimpers of joy to the most refined lips'
Pictured above, it shows her father, his grandmother and their dog Peter listening to one of the first Marconi broadcasts using a home-made cats whisker crystal set made by Mrs Cole's father.
20th century in black and white
Some frames had borders of rock crystal set off with blue Venetian glass lozenges.
Weekend: Antiques and Collecting - Reflections of magic mirrors; Richard Edmonds takes a look at magnificent mirrors that have adorned the walls and furnishings of the wealthy