Universal Audio Volt 2 Specs: Inputs, Preamps and Sample Rate
The Universal Audio Volt 2 is a $150 to $300 desktop interface with 2 microphone preamps, 2 analogue inputs and 2 analogue outputs, connecting over USB-C at up to 192 kHz. Two channels with a switchable vintage preamp voicing, aimed at people who want colour on the way in.
Definition: A microphone preamp is the amplifier stage that raises a microphone's very low output to line level, and the number of them is how many XLR microphones an interface can record simultaneously with phantom power.
The Universal Audio Volt 2 is a desktop audio interface in the $150 to $300 band, connecting over USB-C with 2 microphone preamps. Two channels with a switchable vintage preamp voicing, aimed at people who want colour on the way in.
| Specification | Universal Audio Volt 2 |
|---|---|
| Analogue inputs | 2 |
| Analogue outputs | 2 |
| Microphone preamps | 2 |
| Instrument (Hi-Z) inputs | 2 |
| Headphone outputs | 1 |
| Max sample rate | 192 kHz |
| Bit depth | 24 bit |
| Connection | USB-C |
| Form factor | Desktop |
| Price band | $150 to $300 |
| Phantom power | Yes, 48V |
| MIDI ports | Yes, in and out |
| Bus powered | Yes |
What is the Universal Audio Volt 2 good at?
MIDI ports at a price where most competitors leave them out.
In practical terms, 2 microphone preamps is the number that decides what you can record at once, and it is the number most worth reading carefully. Manufacturers routinely advertise a total input count that includes line inputs you cannot plug a microphone into and digital channels you cannot use without buying another box. The specification table above counts physical analogue jacks and preamps separately for exactly that reason.
It runs on bus power, so a laptop and a cable is the whole rig. MIDI in and out are present, so a hardware synth or an older controller connects directly.
What is it not good at?
No hardware compressor. That is the 276, and the gap between them is real.
Every interface trades something. The useful question is not whether a box has a weakness but whether its weakness lands on something you will actually do. A missing MIDI port is irrelevant if you never touch hardware synths and a permanent annoyance if you do. A 96 kHz ceiling is a non-issue for almost every music recording and a hard stop for a small number of specialist workflows. Match the limitation to your own work rather than to a specification comparison.
What else has 2 microphone preamps?
These are the direct alternatives by the number that matters most, rather than by price. Two interfaces with the same preamp count are solving the same problem, and the differences between them are in the driver, the gain available and what else is on the back panel.
| Interface | Preamps | In / Out | Connection | Max rate | Price band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Audio Volt 2 | 2 | 2 / 2 | USB-C | 192 kHz | $150 to $300 |
| Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (4th Gen) | 2 | 2 / 2 | USB-C | 192 kHz | $150 to $300 |
| Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 (4th Gen) | 2 | 4 / 4 | USB-C | 192 kHz | $300 to $700 |
| Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 (4th Gen) | 2 | 4 / 6 | USB-C | 192 kHz | $300 to $700 |
| Universal Audio Volt 276 | 2 | 2 / 2 | USB-C | 192 kHz | $300 to $700 |
| Universal Audio Apollo Solo USB Heritage Edition | 2 | 2 / 2 | USB-C | 192 kHz | $300 to $700 |
Is there a cheaper interface with the same preamp count?
Yes, and it is worth knowing before you spend. These sit in a lower price band with at least as many microphone preamps. What you give up moving down is usually driver maturity, gain headroom, metering or build, and none of those show up in a channel count comparison.
- Audient EVO 4, 2 preamps, under $150. Two preamps and a Smartgain button that sets your levels for you, under the price of most single-channel boxes.
- PreSonus AudioBox 96, 2 preamps, under $150. The cheapest two-preamp interface with real MIDI ports, which is why it keeps outliving newer designs.
- PreSonus Studio 24c, 2 preamps, under $150. Two preamps, MIDI and 192 kHz under $150, which is the best raw spec per dollar in the budget band.
How much latency will it give you?
The interface itself contributes a fixed overhead, and the buffer setting contributes the rest. Latency in milliseconds is buffer samples / sample rate x 1000, so a 128 sample buffer at 44.1 kHz is 2.90 ms one way and about 5.80 ms round trip before the hardware is counted. A USB-C interface typically adds another 2 to 6 ms of converter and driver delay on top, which is the part that varies between manufacturers at the same buffer setting.
Work out your own figure with the latency buffer calculator, and check the full conversion grid on the sample rate and latency chart. If you are choosing between this and a Thunderbolt unit, the USB versus Thunderbolt comparison covers where the difference is real and where it is marketing.
Will it drive the microphone you want?
Gain is the specification that decides this and it is not on most product pages. A large diaphragm condenser needs roughly 40 dB for a sung vocal at six inches, which every interface here supplies comfortably. A low-output dynamic like the Shure SM7B needs closer to 60 dB, and that is where budget preamps run out and you start hearing hiss before you reach a usable level.
Check your own combination against the gain staging calculator before ordering either the interface or the microphone. If the figure comes up short, an inline booster adds about 25 dB of clean gain at the microphone end for far less than an interface upgrade.
Other Universal Audio interfaces
- Universal Audio Volt 1, 1 preamps, 1 in and 2 out, under $150
- Universal Audio Volt 276, 2 preamps, 2 in and 2 out, $300 to $700
- Universal Audio Volt 476, 4 preamps, 4 in and 4 out, $300 to $700
- Universal Audio Apollo Solo USB Heritage Edition, 2 preamps, 2 in and 2 out, $300 to $700
Where this fits in a whole setup
An interface is one line in a chain, and it is rarely the line that limits a home recording. See what a complete build looks like at three budgets on the setups hub, compare interfaces against each other in the interface roundup, or work through the decision properly in how to choose an audio interface. The full specification database lets you filter by preamp count directly.
Frequently asked questions
How many microphones can you plug into the Universal Audio Volt 2?
2. The Universal Audio Volt 2 has 2 microphone preamps, which is the number of XLR microphones you can record simultaneously with phantom power. Manufacturers often advertise a higher total input count by including line inputs and digital channels, so read the preamp figure rather than the headline number. Its 2 analogue inputs include the preamp channels.
Does the Universal Audio Volt 2 have enough gain for a dynamic microphone?
A low-output dynamic like an SM7B needs roughly 60 dB of clean gain for a normal speaking voice at close range, and many interfaces in the budget and mid bands stop short of that. If you plan to use one, check the published maximum gain figure, and budget for an inline booster if it falls short. A booster adds around 25 dB of clean gain right at the microphone, which lowers noise as well as raising level.
What latency can you expect from the Universal Audio Volt 2?
Latency depends on your buffer setting rather than the interface, and the interface contributes a fixed overhead on top. At a 128 sample buffer and 44.1 kHz the buffer alone is 2.90 ms one way and 5.80 ms round trip, and a typical USB-C interface adds another 2 to 6 ms of converter and driver delay. Driver quality is what separates units at the same buffer setting.
Is the Universal Audio Volt 2 good for a beginner?
Yes. At $150 to $300 it sits in the band where a first interface makes sense, and 2 microphone preamps covers the common case of one voice or one voice plus one instrument. It runs on bus power, so a laptop and a cable is the whole rig. The thing to check before ordering is whether the preamp gain suits the microphone you intend to buy.
Does the Universal Audio Volt 2 need a separate power supply?
No. It runs on bus power over its USB-C connection, so a laptop and one cable is the entire rig. Bus power is worth more than it sounds if you ever record away from the desk, because it removes both a cable and a hunt for an outlet from every session.
What is the Universal Audio Volt 2 not good at?
No hardware compressor. That is the 276, and the gap between them is real. That is a genuine limitation rather than a nitpick, and it is worth checking against what you actually intend to record before ordering. Every interface makes a tradeoff somewhere, and knowing where this one made its tradeoff is more useful than a specification you will never test.
Working out your own room and signal chain? The Home Studio Build Planner is the paid version of these pages: 8 printable worksheets you fill in with your own numbers, plus the full PDF, $29.