Power amp
The section of an amplifier that takes the shaped, low-level signal from the preamp and raises it to the level needed to drive a speaker.
It is where the loudness is made and, in a valve design, where a large part of the feel comes from: the output valves compress and, when pushed, distort in a way that players rely on. Solid-state power sections are more powerful and lighter for the same rating but generally do not add that character. The power amp also sets the amplifier's rated wattage and determines how clean it stays at a given volume.
Example: a preamp pedal run into a separate power amp and cabinet gives the player a choice of preamp voicing with plenty of clean output.
See also
Related
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