Looks like inter FX-level monitoring/checking would be a useful feature...

scook
An empty FX Chain would work.

Yep, that's pretty much all you need!
 

Bajan, Bit,
 
Use FreeG as a transparent workhorse and have had no troubles.
 
The BlueCat unit recommended is free and great. Dual BlueCat manages channels not quite as easy as FreeG, since FreeG has a single pan to shift left and right. Versus separate right and left knobs on the dual BlueCat. Not a big thing.
 
More fire power however with BlueCat as far as decibel range, and just had to use it on a chain to bring up a plug that was attenuated to obscurity. Can't tell if BlueCat is as transparent as FreeG, but seems to be.
 
John

Any gain plugin should be transparent unless the designer explicitly wanted it not to be. It's not like it does any complicated DSP - just a simple multiplication.
 
I only use the mono version of the BlueCat gain plugin, because I primarily use it for voice and bass. A single, simple "Gain" knob is all I need. FreeG does have the nice meter and RMS readouts, though.

Thanks Bit..

scook
An empty FX Chain would work.

Brilliant, scook. Thank you.
The thought never occurred to me of using an empty effects chain for that purpose.
They even have simple metering and they can be automated.