Three methods for gain saturation tone application were compared for optical wavelength division multiplexing transmission using more than 32 channels. The methods are to use high power distributed feedback laser diodes, to use amplified light sources, and lastly to use one saturation tone and several WDM light sources. 1532.3 nm, 1545.7 nm, and 1558.2 nm for the wavelength dependency of the saturation tone were also compared. As a result, the effect of amplified spontaneous emission noise caused by an amplifier was very slight. long wavelength for a saturation tone caused 1 dB gain reduction and its reason was analyzed.