Boss GT-1000 Core with EVH 5150 Iconic 80W: Can it be 100% transparent? (Traumatized by Boss GT-1)

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some technical advice. My current rig is an EVH 5150 Iconic 80W Head through a Harley Benton 212 (V30s). I have a large analog pedalboard, but I want to modernize it and add pro-level modulations/delays.

I’m considering the Boss GT-1000 Core, but I have "trauma" from using the Boss GT-1 in the past. To my ears, the GT-1 sounded thin, fizzy, and completely destroyed the dynamics and "soul" of my tube amp.

I have a few specific questions:

1. Placement: Does it make sense to keep the Core in front of the amp with my other analog pedals, or is the FX Loop (4-Cable Method) mandatory to keep the high-gain signal of the 5150 Iconic punchy and clear?
2. "True Bypass" / Transparency: Is there a way to set up a "neutral" patch (no effects, no sims) that acts as a pure pass-through? If I run the unit this way, will it be 100% transparent to my amp's tone, or will I still feel a "digital sheen" or latency?
3. Quality Jump: Is the buffer/converter quality in the GT-1000 Core (32-bit/96kHz) a massive leap over the GT-1? I’m terrified of "tone suck" when the unit is in the chain but not active.
4. Handling High Gain: The 5150 Iconic has a ton of saturation. Will the Core keep the "VTC/analog feel" of my head intact, or will it turn my sound into a digital mess like the GT-1 did?

I want the convenience of digital presets for delays/reverbs, but I’m not willing to sacrifice the raw power of my 80W tube beast.

Has anyone here integrated the Core into a high-gain tube setup? Was it worth it?

Thanks!