Should I be using ASIO driver?

The only way to see my interface is when I use WDM/KS driver.   I just updated the interface and driver so I guess that's what I need to use. The ASIO driver is for the realtec on the MB. I've used its driver for my hardware and it works but it's strange. It's the generic low latency driver. WDM seems to be working fine so I guess I'll stay with it. I have a KA6 usb interface.

http://co.native-instruments.com/?id=freeupdates Device Updater 1.0.3 Windows What's this ? Misc 02.08.2012 Komplete Audio 6 Driver 3.0.3 - Windows What's this ? Driver 07.06.2012

Factory realtec and others probably work better with WDM & MME drivers. 

ASIO4ALL is a fake driver wrapper thing that tries to fool a cheap card into thinking it can use ASIO.

For the best results with recording and playback using Sonar..... you need a USB interface that will run a native ASIO driver. 

Thanks everyone!

I updated my interface to build 42 from 37, so it's the latest os on it.

Then I updated my driver from 3.0.2 to 3.0.3.

I did that prior to my posting this thread.

So I guess NI is using WDM-KS (Kansas City?) as their driver.

I can tell no difference in functionality.

I'm using the realtec for windows sounds because of problems I was having:
http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?m=2631597

I put the output of the realtec and the soundcard into a headphone y splitter and both share the speaker system. Works good.

CJaysMusic

IMO, you should dowload the most recent driver from the makers of the interface and yes use ASIO

I have to "respectfully"disagree. You use the one that works the best. sometimes that is WDM driver mode and sometimes that is ASIO driver mode.
 
But you are correct on saying you should download the latest drivers.
 
To the original poster: You try both driver modes and you decide what works best for you. Each sysytem is different , so there is no better one to use for all systems. You just use the one that works best for you.
 
CJ
 

 
Well, I can respect that opinion; I've heard others say they have no problem with the WDM driver as well. Not claiming to be an expert at anything here, but I am an old PC hardware tech and I suspect there is a conflict going on by what I'm reading. I'm thinking This should have a pretty rock solid ASIO driver, he should at least see it in his Sonar audio setup as an option.
 
 Tac, I understand that you can use both the USB and onboard at the same time and it works for the most part. I did that when I got my first toneport and had similar issues. Things got a lot easier when I finally gave up the soundcard. I can't promise it will give you the same results but I still recommend.
 
1) uninstall Asio4All if that's the ASIO driver you're using for your realtec
2) uninstall your realtec driver, restart and disable it in the BIOS
3) Download Driver Cleaner and clean realtec audio.
4) uninstall all versions of your NI interface. Reinstall the most recent driver and try again to use that as your sound card
 
JMO

If you are using 2 interfaces for some reason you will need to make sure Sonar is able to use the one you want by disabling the one you don't want.

If you go to the 'Drivers' tab of the Audio options uncheck all the instances of the driver in use as if it is in Asio mode Sonar can only use one device at a time.

Therefore disabling the ASIO 4 ALL input and ouput drivers first will allow you to then select the KA6 devices Inputs and Outputs in ASIO mode.  You'll then be able to make a fair comparison between ASIO and WDM/KS (Kernel Streaming, not Kansas btw... )

You wont have to disable or uninstall anything outside of Sonar unless you want to.

For example I use my onboard card to monitor and external module and have the output of my interface set to be the 'Listen' port for that sometimes.  Also ASIO4ALL is often misunderstood and can be used for other things than just giving a cheap sound device ASIO ports it can also aggregate the WDM drivers with the native ASIO drivers allowing all sorts of 'loopback' recording options from various sound sources if it ever takes your fancy to do that.