In answer to Michael Stehney's question regarding the generation of
suction to operate modern player actions, the answer is that in almost
all players built recently suction is created by a turbine type pump,
pretty much exactly as you encounter in a vacuum cleaner.

The major differences are the speed at which the motor runs, and the
fact that player piano pumps are housed in a padded box in an effor
to reduce the whine produced by the turbine.

John D. Rutoskey