Retrotech - Vintage Agaphone (Agafon) Wire Recorder, demo, test & repair.

In this retro tech / vintage tech video we're taking a look at an Agaphone (also known as an Agafon) Wire Recorder made in Sweden in the late 1940s or early 1950s.

Wire recorders were first invented at the end of the 1800s but they didn't get developed that much until the second world war, when they were used for military purposes. They only became available for the public in the late 1940s. By the mid 1950s the more familiar magnetic tape had been developed and the wire recorders all disappeared.

My machine needed a few remedial repairs which we'll look at in the video but fundamentally it was working when I received it. One thing I did have to sort was a replacement neon that got smashed during transit - the original neon was a GE NE51 (not the GE NE51H) and although I could get these from America, the shipping cost was silly. I managed to track down a modern equivalent a B1A neon (not a B2A) which I could buy from a UK seller.

To see just the demo of the machine running, skip to 10:46

Intro Music
"As Yet Untitled"
by GrumpyTim (available to download from GrumpyTim's Bandcamp page)

Additional Music
"Acoustic Typewriter"
by GrumpyTim (available to download from GrumpyTim's Bandcamp page)

[AtrumNoxProductions]

I love my wire recorder. I saw TechMoan's video on them, then almost a month or so later, I found one in a yard sale. I was so excited for it!
They are a fun and unique medium. I recently picked up a microphone for it too.

This is a cool looking machine! The one I have is a Webster Chicago 80-1.

[SwingBandHeaven]

I wonder whether the Agaphone has a more fussy wire transport and head as my chicargo webster has only suffered one break in the three years I've owned it and that was one the first play through of an old reel. If you join the wire using a square knot then that should pass through the head without snagging. The issue I have found though is that the knots if not really neatly done and trimmed can catch on the other layers of wire on a reel. One good feature that my model of wire recorder does have that the Agaphone doesn't is an autostop so if the wire does snag it will stop the machine before the wire snaps. This feature though seems to only appear on the very last chicargo webster models. I do really like the reel holder system on this model.

[ianwilkinson]

Wow, you are a veritable genius Tim, so many interests, how do you find the time and the space for it all?

[tarstarkusz]

The wire recorders can record OK music. But you need a good source. Easily AM quality.
The manufacturers should have slowed the wire down and made it thicker. The wire is just too thin to make it a useful medium. It is far too prone to breakage. But there are a lot of wire spools out there with programs taped on them from the radio. So people were using it for that.

[BensWorkshop]

That has got quite good quality record and playback shame about the wire snapping. I wonder how much it cost new, must have been a fortune.

[tarstarkusz]

This video has 75 views. You should have just included the music.

[juslitor]

Sounds like the speaker has a shot membrane.