Short answer
Both are audio interfaces, $130 against $119.
The Steinberg IXO22 reaches 100 dB on 552 of the 567 models here, the IK Multimedia AXE I/O ONE on 550.
| Specification | IK Multimedia AXE I/O ONE | Steinberg IXO22 |
|---|---|---|
| Power into 32Ω | 26 mW | 32 mW |
| Power into 150Ω | 13 mW | 11 mW |
| Power into 300Ω | 6.7 mW | 5.3 mW |
| Power into 600Ω | 3.3 mW | 2.7 mW |
| Output impedance | <0.1 Ω | not published |
| Output noise | not published | not published |
| Price | $130 | $119 |
| Headphones it reaches 100 dB on out of 567 | 550 | 552 |
Not published means the maker leaves it out, so that axis cannot be compared.
| Load | IK Multimedia AXE I/O ONE | Steinberg IXO22 |
|---|---|---|
| 32 Ω | Derived | Derived |
| 150 Ω | Derived | Derived |
| 300 Ω | Derived | Derived |
| 600 Ω | Derived | Derived |
Neither column is a maker’s power rating at these loads. Of the 280 sources here, 209 publish a figure at at least one load; these two do not, so every row above is derived — between or beyond the loads each maker did publish, holding output voltage as the maker’s own figures imply. The method understates rather than flatters, but it is still arithmetic rather than a rating.
1 headphone reaches 100 dB on the IK Multimedia AXE I/O ONE but not on the Steinberg IXO22 — Sennheiser HD 600.
3 headphones reach 100 dB on the Steinberg IXO22 but not on the IK Multimedia AXE I/O ONE — Kinera Freya Vanir, Symphonium Meteor, Thieaudio Hype 10.
549 of the 567 models here reach 100 dB on both.
Headroom is at a 100 dB SPL peak.
The widest gap on the list is the Sennheiser HD 600: IK Multimedia AXE I/O ONE has +0 dB of headroom there against -1 dB. 1 dB is about 1.3 times the power, which matters for peaks rather than for how loud the music sits.
The hiss columns are empty for IK Multimedia AXE I/O ONE and Steinberg IXO22 because neither maker publishes no output noise figure.
| Headphone | Impedance | Needs | IK Multimedia AXE I/O ONE headroom | Steinberg IXO22 headroom | IK Multimedia AXE I/O ONE hiss | Steinberg IXO22 hiss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shure SE846 | 9 Ω | 0.04 mW | +23 dB | +24 dB | not published | not published |
| Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020 | 9 Ω | 4.0 mW | +3 dB | +4 dB | not published | not published |
| Audeze LCD-2 Classic | 70 Ω | 0.79 mW | +16 dB | +15 dB | not published | not published |
| Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro (250Ω) | 250 Ω | 0.63 mW | +11 dB | +10 dB | not published | not published |
| HiFiMAN HE400se | 25 Ω | 7.9 mW | +4 dB | +5 dB | not published | not published |
| Audio-Technica ATH-R70X | 470 Ω | 1.6 mW | +4 dB | +3 dB | not published | not published |
| Sennheiser HD 600 | 300 Ω | 6.6 mW | +0 dB | -1 dB | not published | not published |
| HiFiMAN Susvara | 60 Ω | 50 mW | -2 dB | -3 dB | not published | not published |
The IK Multimedia AXE I/O ONE costs $11 more than the Steinberg IXO22. Out of the 567 models here, that difference buys 1 more model driven to 100 dB.
It does not run one way only: the cheaper Steinberg IXO22 drives 3 models to 100 dB that the IK Multimedia AXE I/O ONE does not, which is the part worth checking against your own headphones before paying the difference.
Only published figures count here; blank axes are counted separately.
Each in full: IK Multimedia AXE I/O ONE and Steinberg IXO22.