To answer Batsbrew's question, I don't think there's any such thing as an new audio interface that doesn't have direct monitoring. 
It confuses people because direct monitoring gets called zero latency. duh of course it's zero   because its the analog input to your headphones before the A/D then mixed with the offset adjusted output of your DAW.
 
But, and a big but!  if the drivers are crappy the offset timing is not accurate so therefore the need to always perform a loop back test to see if Sonar and the audio drivers are correctly setting the offset. We have a thread where I invited people to try this. The results were interesting. And it also showed how using anything other than ASIO mode results in tracks not lining up by varying amounts of offset. 
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/Lets-all-TEST-our-Interface-driver-for-offset-m3178396.aspx
 
 

Cactus Music
To answer Batsbrew's question, I don't think there's any such thing as an new audio interface that doesn't have direct monitoring. 
It confuses people because direct monitoring gets called zero latency. duh of course it's zero   because its the analog input to your headphones before the A/D then mixed with the offset adjusted output of your DAW.
 
But, and a big but!  if the drivers are crappy the offset timing is not accurate so therefore the need to always perform a loop back test to see if Sonar and the audio drivers are correctly setting the offset. We have a thread where I invited people to try this. The results were interesting. And it also showed how using anything other than ASIO mode results in tracks not lining up by varying amounts of offset. 
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/Lets-all-TEST-our-Interface-driver-for-offset-m3178396.aspx
 

 
good to know, clear and concise, thanks.
 

I am looking at these same interfaces, in particular the Focusrite 6i6. I have seen some reports that the driver installation requires all other audio drivers be removed. I want to use the interface with a laptop+Sonar, but I would want the built-in MME audio to be available to use just for playback, so I can rock out at Starbucks while checking email.
 
Has anyone heard of this limitation?

I have not heard of such a limitation, but ASIO4ALL will cause freaky things to genuine ASIO drivers. I actually run 32-bit Adobe Audition 4 in MME mode side-by-side with SONAR (on a separate set of speakers) quite often without issues. One thing I have noticed (if more than one sound device) is that the default device must be explicitly set while both are on (Windows does not have my Saffire "as default"). Unless that is done, Win(7) will try to hog the Saffire when it comes online, but setting the RealTek as default makes Win7 ignore the Saffire (unless I specifically assign it as default).
 
That question is probably best sent to Focusrite directly though. Better to get the answer from the horse's mouth, as it were. They typically respond to emails in 24 hours from my experience.

Thanks mettelus. Good info. This forum is almost always faster than the manufacturer, but you're right - I should contact them. The 6i6 is on sale for $210 for a while (Sweetwater). Hate to miss out if it turns out that's the one I want. (BTW, I've never used ASIO4ALL.)

I am on the market for a 4 mic input interface and I have been following this thread. What I really want is the steinberg ur44 because it is the only one with dsp reverb and effects at this price range. It would be great for tracking vocals with reverb send to the singers. It is such a bummer because i live in Malaysia (a very small country) and my retailer say it will 2 weeks wait and I need it next week.

There is also not a strong and consistent motu and tascam retailer either in my country.

So I will be off to another shop to get a scarlett 18i8. We do have a shop that speciaize it focusrite, m-audio and uad.

musichoo,
that's the one i'm considering as well.