Gain stages on Preamp

68pete,
Good question!

05-20-15: 68pete
Thank you all for the info. So the best way to set the gain stage on the preamp would be to set it to zero and put the volume where you like to listen then slowly turn the gain up to where the music sounds its best???

68pete, maybe you are making this way more complicated than it ought to be. I'm not sure what you are driving at with your question??

set the volume knob to whatever level you want to listen to music at that time - maybe you are in a mood to listen at low volumes? maybe you are in a mood to listen at higher volumes? Maybe you are listening at night when the family is asleep & you can only listen at lower volumes? And, there are many other situations that might dictate the volume setting - who knows.....
your volume setting for that listening session might not line up with the volume setting at which that music sounds its best. Does that mean you are not going to listen?? Probably not!
Just set the volume to what your needs are at that time. Playing around with this control (if you are able at that time) you'll find that best volume setting. Make a note of it (a friend put a Post-It note on the inside cover with that best volume setting) & move on...
Thanks.

05-19-15: Bombaywalla
good answers by Newbee & Viridian. I'll add my 2 cents:
the gain control on a preamp is really an attenuator as already indicated.

Gain control in stages are voltage dividers

same thing (synonym) Czarivey - voltage dividers, attenuators. they reduce/attenuate the voltage coming out of the preamp.

I like using dual volume. In my analogue setup I use Nakamichi RX202 tape deck to provide extra boost to phonostage. That extra boost I can vary from record to record and achieve an ideal volume settings per listening I desire.