How does amp wattage affect DI out sound to DAW?

[spantini]

How does a combo amp's wattage affect it's sound when DI'd out to a DAW?

I would guess a 15W and 100W would have a difference in DI sound, but what about 7W to 40W amps?

 

[Steenamaroo]

It depends where the DI is tapped from but I'd imagine it's usually between pre and power amp?
I could be wrong, but I don't think the power output of the amp should have any effect.

 

[RFR]

Usually the di out is a preamp out. Wattage doesn't come imto play.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

It's easier to drive a smaller amp's power tubes into distortion, which matters if you connect the DI in parallel with the speaker. Be sure to pad the DI.

 

[Ponder5]

in a word, no.

Amp wattage doesn't affect the DI.

However, you're talking about several links in the chain. Tubes, transistors, impedance, coils, even cables. Those links can affect the sound. They've been pretty well described.

But wattage having an effect on the DI proper? Not really... or at least trivially, at best.

EQ

 

[spantini]

Thanks for the info, everyone!

I've been looking at combo bass amps with DI and see large price differences which appear to be based mostly on watts, speaker size and number. I'll be using it 99% recording / 1 % live, so the least wattage I can get away with the more I can put toward my budget for a new Strat this year.

40W is the lowest I've seen which also has DI - I'm looking at the Fender Rumble 40W Bass Combo @ 199.99. I'd go for a 7W to 20W with DI for a hundred less - IF I could find one, but I haven't seen one available.