sound box
sound box — noun
1. The hollow chamber inside a musical instrument — especially stringed instruments
The hollow chamber inside a musical instrument — especially stringed instruments such as violins, guitars, and cellos — that vibrates together with the strings, making the sound louder, fuller, and warmer.
Ignacio tapped the sound box of his guitar, listening for any cracks in the wood.
sound box + instrument name (guitar)
The violin maker shaped the sound box from a single block of maple.
instrument-making collocation: shaping the sound box
A cello has a larger sound box than a viola, so it produces deeper tones.
A damaged sound box makes an acoustic guitar lose most of its volume.
Jude loved the mahogany sound box that gave the old Martin guitar a warm tone.
- resonant chamber
more technical; used in acoustics and instrument design
- body
informal term, especially for guitars and violins; less precise than 'sound box'
用法筆記
In string instruments, the sound box is also called the 'body' of the instrument. Do not confuse it with a 'soundboard', which is the flat wooden top of a piano or harpsichord.
常見錯誤
2. The part of an old-fashioned record player — such as a phonograph or gramophone
The part of an old-fashioned record player — such as a phonograph or gramophone — that changes the vibrations of a needle moving along a record into sound waves that you can hear.
Shirin carefully cleaned the diaphragm inside the sound box of her grandmother's phonograph.
sound box + phonograph: historical device context
Without a working sound box, the gramophone spins the record but makes no sound.
The museum's antique phonograph still has its original brass sound box from 1905.
Collectors pay high prices for intact Edison sound boxes with original mica diaphragms.
- reproducer
specific to certain Edison phonograph models; not a general synonym
用法筆記
This sense is historical — modern speakers, headphones, and digital music players do not have a 'sound box'. You will mainly find this term in antique shops, museums, and books about the history of recorded sound.