Pioneer A-9 (1981 - 1982) THE TRENDSETTER! NON-SWITCHING® amp using the VARI-BIAS® circuit and high-speed RET (ring emmiters) transistors that sported a high fT (frequency cutoff), lots of LEDs as well, lit graphs and diagrams, tiny push-buttons, a huge toroidal transformer and two rows of shark-fins heatsinks. Healthy stuff, but the look of it probably turned down a few potential customers... It did turn me down back then, now I find it funny and a little naive :-) Apart from the little pictographs to designate sources which were found here and there until 1985, this radical design didn't set a trend, at all. And not even by Pioneer, for the next lineup was adorned with an oh-so-classic silver'n'knobs layout...