Hey David, "dual cabs" is really most appropriate for Studio/Direct tones, when you are not using a real amp and cab. Essentially, it seeks to remedy the problems I have with the individual cab/mic options - that they sound deficient and/or noisy in certain frequency ranges but rich and high-quality in others. So basically I'm making a franken-cab - combining cabs that sound good for the lower half of the spectrum with those that sound good for the upper half of the spectrum.
For using a real amp/cab, I would recommend using a non studio/direct output mode, preferably stack/combo power amp (as you have noted), depending on how much bass you want. As for cab selection, that's really up to you. In those modes, the mic selection does absolutely nothing, while the cab selection provides an EQ effect. This is different from what the mic/cab selection does in Studio/Direct mode, where it actually simulates a true cab/mic, not only changing the frequency response, but changing phase relationships between frequencies, providing mild feedback/resonance/reverb, and otherwise altering wave-forms. Two different cabs EQ'ed to be equal to each other frequency spectrum-wise still won't sound the same. It'd be like EQ'ing an oboe to sound like a piano.
For a 4CM setup, as you said generally it's recommended to use a non-studio/direct different output mode. But I wouldn't completely agree that you should usually use a "pre" amp model. That would depend on the desired tone and the transparency of your real power amp. See the full vs. pre section of my guide for more on this. But given that you're saying you get good studio/direct tones from your rig, I think you might prefer the full amp models - they tend to have more punch and aggression to them. And you can use the Master DEP to dial out or in the sweet spot of power amp emulation. I think everyone should start there, and only switch to "pre" models if they find they prefer the Master DEP at 0%. This can be tricky, because you have to compensate volume as you tweak, or you can be fooled to thinking low Master has bad tone simply because the volume is lower.
Also, using a cab in non-studio direct is optional as mentioned above but not much different from doing some EQ tweaking.
Keep in mind that studio/direct is identical to the other output modes when "no cab" is selected.
In my guide I mention the possibility that using studio/direct plus a cab/mic selection may sound better given your real gear (and ear) than the "appropriate" or "recommended" setup. If you like the tone, then that's all there is to it. However, I really can't go into any more detail there. Without your gear at my disposal, I have no means to determine whether "dual cabs" is worth it or not. It takes a high DSP toll, and I don't know if there is going to be a worthwhile tonal benefit if there is one at all. What I like to use it for is to get a "fuller" frequency response from the built-in cab/mic models. I can't imagine it being fuller than using a non-studio direct output mode and EQ'ing your tone to get to a similar place.
Where I find using studio/direct and cab/mic simulation through a real amp and cab works best is with Fenders, where the speaker tends to be brighter. Otherwise, I find the tone gets overly processed. You get a tight, chunky bottom end, but at the expense of an artificial high end. Again, I'd just use EQ to get a bass boost and do other fine-tuning instead.
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