A system makes real time fluid level determinations based upon shock waves detected by a pressure sensor which is able to detect very small changes in the amplitude of the received signal. Because the various components of the artificial lift system can have significant mechanical vibrations and noise, the pressure sensor utilized in the present invention may be high-sensitivity pressure sensor which is vibration-compensated with an electrical amplifier integrated directly into the sensor body to amplify the observed shock wave. The sensor has compensation components which ascertain low-frequency lateral motion and other noise, distinguishing the low frequency wave forms from the incoming reflections from the shock waves. The observed lateral motion is subtracted from the pressure sensor signal in determining the depth to the fluid.