Psychological effects of volume control

It is actually better that your preamp volume run between 11 o’clock and 3 o’clock.

You should always adjust the power amp input sensitivity to allow the volume knob to work in this optimal range (preserve signal to noise by keeping the signal level higher on your line level equipment)

All pro power amps allow the input sensitivity to be adjusted for this reason.

Very interesting.

I feel foolish for my previous concerns.
The DAC is bringing everything wonderfully to life now that I’ve discovered the proper volume adjustment!
Much better in so many ways than the Theta I was using.

I once bought a used, more "sophisticated" preamp and encountered the same confusion; I was a monkey scratching its head. Mine has three volume controls, even worse. I sent it to Lamm to get it checked out, partly for the volume reason.You get used to something working in a slightly different way.

Yes, it is better that you are now reaching 11 instead of 9, less of the attenuator in the signal path. 

Silly question perhaps, nevertheless, I'll ask the resident experts herein.

Would having to raise the volume at the pre-amp (in the OPs case) be the same if he had an *integrated amp*?

In my experience when an amp is at 12 or above, even when all source components are powered off, if I put my ear to the speakers tweeter I can hear enough of a "sizzle" to know with certainty the amp is powered on. There is a point where the volume can be lowered enough where the sizzle is inaudible. Isn't any amp distorting that much more as the volume raised? And if so, then why would it be desirable to raise the volume control instead of lowering it to achieve the same decibel level?