If I use S1, Sonar, Samplitude, Reaper and I'm sure a few others I know I can monitor a track input even when something else is playing on the same track. I don't have to fight the record only / tapemachine style thing.
Drives me nuts as it breaks my flow all the time I have to check and change monitoring style.
I guess it makes sense if, for example, you are micing up an amp and then recording into Cubase. You can still hear the sound source through the direct monitoring or studio console.
But.
If you're using virtual guitar amps, for example, your signal will be switched off whenever you start playback and then you have to go click the speaker button and that will mute the material that's already been recorded on that track.
It's very convenient to be able to hear the track content along with an uninterrupted signal input because it takes way less clicks to, for example, rehearse a new section of an arrangement.
Or to let a singer hear a mix of their voice along with what they already sang to match timing and interpretation in the run up to a punch it.
All those "flow" things that are hopelessly slowed down / interrupted by Cubase's antiquated monitoring system. Bit of a pet peeve of mine
