Yeah, pretty much this. Thanks. :3
Well, the 6x6 has 4 edge pieces per edge, and I line up the matching left 2 and matching right 2 so that it effectively has 2 pieces per edge, like a 4x4, since the algorithms I'm using are designed for a 4x4. And I do the same for the center pieces, so that each center is basically 2x2 instead of 4x4. I'm not sure this is the best way to do it, but it's the best I could figure out.
I believe it has to do with center formation, so the short answer is no, unless you use a cage method, which is generally understood to be sub-optimal for speed solving. What I do is to use my slice-flip-slice back method for l4e until I have a single edge that is either solved (in which case on to 3x3 stage) or unsolved (in which case I do my one 5x5 parity alg on that edge). It's probably worth learning the alg for when you have 2 2-piece blocks paired up as well, but when I average roughly 3:00 on 5x5 I've got bigger worries.
Easy mode: always use slice-flip-unslice until you're left with a single problematic edge, then use the "OLL parity" alg.
It's the same flipping alg you would use with the rest of your edges: R U R' F R' F' R (for E-slice edge pairing) or U' R U R' F R' F' (for M-slice edge pairing).
Aochuang GTS M is certainly the most "value for money" option available so far, but it's not exactly the objective best by a gigantic margin, considering that there are people who prefer the Wushuang M.
"Objective best" is a nonsense phrase since, as the rest of your statement indicates, it comes down to personal preference. Since we're talking personal preferences, there can be no "objective" best.
