Phonograf

The phonograph is a device for recording and reproducing sound. Invented by Thomas Edison in 1877, it was the first machine capable of both recording and playing back sound. Edison's original phonograph used a stylus to etch a groove onto a rotating cylinder covered in tinfoil. The stylus vibrated with the sound waves, creating a physical indentation that mirrored the sound's pattern. To play back the sound, the stylus would trace the groove, and its vibrations would be amplified by a horn, recreating the original sound.

Later iterations of the phonograph, often referred to as gramophones or record players, utilized discs instead of cylinders. These discs, made of materials like shellac or vinyl, had grooves etched onto their surface. The playback mechanism involved a needle, usually made of diamond or sapphire, that tracked the groove and transmitted vibrations to a diaphragm, which in turn produced sound. The phonograph revolutionized the entertainment industry and had a profound impact on how people experienced music and spoken word. It laid the groundwork for subsequent audio recording technologies.