GT6/GT8 plus 5150 question...

[DumpyWumpy]

Hey guys, I'm in the process of trying to find a GT6 to use with my 5150 using the 4 cable method so that I can use the 5150's distortion but the GT6's clean sound. What I'm wondering is how you set everything up so that the volumes are equal?

From what I understand, you just set the Overdrive to external and then control the level sent to your amp using the Drive knob and the level returned from your amp using the Level knob. I assume you crank these both up to full when using the GT6 this way right? My question now is, what do you set the GT6's actual Output Level to be? Because if I'm using a GT6 clean sound, then the output level on the GT6 controls my overall volume since the signal is going straight to the FX return and bypassing the amps preamp. So if I turn it up to 10, then it's going to be at full blast using my amps full volume. But how does the output level knob affect the volume of my distortion sound which is coming from the 5150? Is the post gain knob on the 5150 located after the FX return or before? Hopefully you guys see what I'm getting at, I know plenty of you guys have run amps this way before so I'm sure someone knows. Thanks in advance dudes!

[DumpyWumpy]

Also, what about the GT5? I have a chance to pick one of those up as well, and it looks like it has an FX loop also. Does the 4 cable method work just as well with this as with the GT6? I could probably trade my XT Live for the GT5 + cash, so as long as I can get a good clean sound out of the GT5 and the effects sound good, it might be my best option assuming the 4 cable thing will still work. I won't be using it as a preamp or a major part of my sound, so just some good sounding effects, solid clean and pretty transparent sounding circuity for when I'm not using the GT5 at all is all I need...

[jgcable]

You should be able to trade your XTL for a GT6 no sweat. Why don't you just sell it on Ebay. You can get $300.00 easy for it and a GT6 will cost you around $245.00

Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

[DumpyWumpy]

The only lame part about the GT6 is that I can't use the Overdrive/Distortion if I want to activate the loop in order to use the 5150s distortion. I was hoping to use one of the overdrives in the pedal as a boost for the 5150 instead of buying a separate stompbox. The GT5 will let me do this since the loop is actually it's own effect and I can just straight up toggle it on and off. But everything else about the GT6 is nicer! GRRR! Why did they have to set the loop up that way in the GT6?

[shadowcat]

Also, what about the GT5? I have a chance to pick one of those up as well, and it looks like it has an FX loop also. Does the 4 cable method work just as well with this as with the GT6? I could probably trade my XT Live for the GT5 + cash, so as long as I can get a good clean sound out of the GT5 and the effects sound good, it might be my best option assuming the 4 cable thing will still work. I won't be using it as a preamp or a major part of my sound, so just some good sounding effects, solid clean and pretty transparent sounding circuity for when I'm not using the GT5 at all is all I need...

I use the GT-5 with the 4 cable method and it works great. I can't compare it to the GT-6 though, as I've never tried that one out. And I don't feel the need to, either...

I'm not sure about your initial question, as I'm not familiar with the GT-6.
On my GT-5 I balance the levels by editing the master level in each patch.