Very interesting technology and history; thanks for posting.

For a better idea of what these machines looked and sounded like, there are several videos on YouTube.

Here's one of a Webster machine, as described in the article:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90ihiTwJPCc

And here's a video of a Pyrox machine that has better sound quality and does a pretty decent job playing music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5EuSU4xZj0

I picked one up at the junk shop last year. It came with several spools each with recordings from long ago (late 1950s). People playing piano, singing, recording the radio, or reading from letters.

There's a unique quality to the audio - combination of speaker and medium. I've recorded onto wire and then back onto a Zoom recorder over wire with good results.

Amazing machines, and something to be said for the longevity of the wire!