Short answer
Both are audio interfaces, $199 against $149.
The Universal Audio Volt 1 reaches 100 dB on 558 of the 567 models here, the Steinberg UR22C on 512.
| Specification | Steinberg UR22C | Universal Audio Volt 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Power into 32Ω | 12 mW | 84 mW |
| Power into 150Ω | 4.0 mW | 28 mW |
| Power into 300Ω | 2.0 mW | 22 mW |
| Power into 600Ω | 1.0 mW | 12 mW |
| Output impedance | not published | not published |
| Output noise | not published | not published |
| Price | $199 | $149 |
| Headphones it reaches 100 dB on out of 567 | 512 | 558 |
Not published means the maker leaves it out, so that axis cannot be compared.
| Load | Steinberg UR22C | Universal Audio Volt 1 |
|---|---|---|
| 32 Ω | Derived | Published |
| 150 Ω | Derived | Derived |
| 300 Ω | Derived | Published |
| 600 Ω | Derived | Published |
Only one of these two columns starts from a power rating. Universal Audio Volt 1 publishes one at 32 Ω, at 300 Ω and at 600 Ω; Steinberg UR22C publishes none at any of these four loads, so its column is worked out from power it published at other loads. Both are arithmetic on a maker’s own figures rather than guesses, and the method used for the Steinberg UR22C understates rather than flatters — but at 32 Ω, at 300 Ω and at 600 Ω are the only loads here at which its maker can be held to a figure.
46 headphones reach 100 dB on the Universal Audio Volt 1 but not on the Steinberg UR22C — AKG K612 Pro, Abyss AB-1266 Phi CC, Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC, 43 more.
512 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 Audio-Technica ATH-R70X: Universal Audio Volt 1 has +10 dB of headroom there against -1 dB. 11 dB is about 12 times the power, which matters for peaks rather than for how loud the music sits.
The hiss columns are empty for Steinberg UR22C and Universal Audio Volt 1 because neither maker publishes no output noise figure.
| Headphone | Impedance | Needs | Steinberg UR22C headroom | Universal Audio Volt 1 headroom | Steinberg UR22C hiss | Universal Audio Volt 1 hiss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shure SE846 | 9 Ω | 0.04 mW | +19 dB | +28 dB | not published | not published |
| Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020 | 9 Ω | 4.0 mW | -1 dB | +8 dB | not published | not published |
| Audeze LCD-2 Classic | 70 Ω | 0.79 mW | +10 dB | +18 dB | not published | not published |
| Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro (250Ω) | 250 Ω | 0.63 mW | +6 dB | +16 dB | not published | not published |
| HiFiMAN HE400se | 25 Ω | 7.9 mW | +1 dB | +9 dB | not published | not published |
| Audio-Technica ATH-R70X | 470 Ω | 1.6 mW | -1 dB | +10 dB | not published | not published |
| Sennheiser HD 600 | 300 Ω | 6.6 mW | -5 dB | +5 dB | not published | not published |
| HiFiMAN Susvara | 60 Ω | 50 mW | -7 dB | +0 dB | not published | not published |
The Steinberg UR22C costs $50 more than the Universal Audio Volt 1, and on these three axes the money buys nothing: among the 567 models here there is not one that the Steinberg UR22C handles and the Universal Audio Volt 1 does not — not on power, not on the one-eighth rule, not on hiss. The traffic runs the other way: the cheaper Universal Audio Volt 1 drives 46 models to 100 dB that the Steinberg UR22C does not.
Only published figures count here; blank axes are counted separately.
Each in full: Steinberg UR22C and Universal Audio Volt 1.