I test with a couple of things (Sorry about late reply)
Prime95 is still one I like to use, I normally test for 30 minutes to get a beginning of stability checked and then after I have everything confirmed I do it once again as part of a Burn in for a long period of time (Generally a couple hours depending) for final temps and to make double sure. I also use Heaven, AVX2, FireStrike (Mostly for fun), Pi, CineBench, and a few random depending on what I hear is a good recent one. I change when I hear about new ones or programs that are getting better checks for certain processors or just are now better for checking.
As for settings, well my settings (I checked this weekend but forgot to post and I am at work so this is off memory) were 1.275 for VCore and manually entered the ram settings for this system which is about the extent needed for my 4.5ghz overclock which was fairly easy to find (Stability wise), I plan on going back alter and trying some additional changes to try and lower the Vcore a bit when I have some extra free time. To achieve 4.6ghz I got it after playing around some more with settings to 1.295 Vcore, Ring (I believe) 1.10-1.2 (Cannot remember exact ill again have to double check), and then bumped the input voltage up a bit which got me some good stability which I may go back to (its a saved setting) but for right now I am more than happy at 4.5ghz on it. I have not devoted enough time to playing around with changing the input and such to see if I can get that 4.5ghz lower because I have been to busy and actually not been using it much lol.
Not enough time in the day sometimes with my recent position change at work along with a move, however this week should allow some extra time that I may go for a bit of playing.
Prime95 or any AVX stress tool I need stupid amounts of voltage as I don't use any think AVX and if I do it will never put full load on my system, I don't tune using it I use linx 0.6.4 and aida64 and test for 6+ hours.
UPDATE!!!!
Well LLC on auto isn't Level 9 for me i did a quick test with VCCIN set to 1.85v Also if you set auto in the bios and change it in Ai Suite Level 9 becomes the auto setting, You have to select a Level in the bios i selected Level 6 here's what i found.
LLC Auto vdroop = 1.792v - 1.808v ( Level 6 )
LLC Level 9 vdroop = 1.856v - 1.872v ( fluctuation )
LLC Level 8 vdroop = 1.840v - 1.856v ( fluctuation )
LLC Level 7 vdroop = 1.792v - 1.808v - 1.824v ( fluctuation )
LLC Level 6 vdroop = 1.776v - 1.792v - 1.808v ( fluctuation )
LLC Level 5 vdroop = 1.776v - 1.792v ( fluctuation )
LLC Level 4 vdroop = 1.760v - 1.776v ( fluctuation )
LLC Level 3 vdroop = 1.728v - 1.744v ( fluctuation )
LLC Level 2 vdroop = 1.712v - 1.728v ( fluctuation )
LLC Level 1 vdroop = 1.696v - 1.712v ( fluctuation )
LCC doesn't seem to give much Vboost on my system even on LV9 i would say its safe to run it on LV8 as its very close to what you set in your bios.
I just ran a quick 5 minutes LinX 0.6.5 AVX test with the above LLCs Now my system isn't stable running LinX even for 5 minutes i normally get a BSOD and seems like LLC was the problem after setting LLC to Level 8 i was able to run LinX for 5 minutes the LLC settings below all failed.
No idea but AVX now fails again with a BSOD when reusing the settings it passed on just before .