Amplifier knobs...where to "set" on the clock?

That's good solid professional advice you got there. The only thing better is this documentary, a few years old but still the gold standard in terms of explaining the importance of where those dials point. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xgx4k83zzc

With the volume set at noon, where is the volume set on the pre when listening at loudest levels.

Turn it up to 11. :)

McIntosh advised me to leave my former SS MC2250 (measured accurately at 305 wpc by them) set at MAX (seems a heck of a lot doesn't it), and then send/pass less from the preamp. SS amp was dead quiet at any volume setting.

Volume (less gain) needed by the preamp, either prior SS preamp, and importantly current Tube preamp, it's tubes need to produce less gain.

Things change when using tube amps. You need to find a/the combo of amp volume and pre-amp volume working together that is noise free.

Then, boost either the preamp volume, or, if integrated amp, boost it's volume, (or both within known noise free parameters) This affects equipment location (height of physical knob rotation or location of remote sensor).

Currently, my tube preamp at 11 am; tube amp at 12 oc. Then, for different cartridge outputs, and/or more volume, I can change either devices volume.

In my particular case, I go from preamp to a Chase RLC-1 remote line controller, then to amp. My volume is a combo of the Chase's default volume/preamps volume/amp volume, which allows me source/volume/balance from listening chair, thus different cartridge outputs, do not effect my paired preamp/amp noise free volume pairing.

Remote balance helps refine individual tracks that benefit a surprising amount from a slight balance tweak. Adjusting from the listening spot remotely makes it easy,