Well I pretty much know Cubase from one end to the other (I have about 5 journals of notes and exploratory testing)
But your suggestion of using the Pre is a mis-solution, as this will effect the gain going into the entire plugin chain which would change everything ( edit: unless I’m dumb and have been wrong about this for how many ever years) - completely effect the sound, compression amounts, distortion amounts, clip amounts, etc, etc.
The channel window really doesn’t offer a solution to this either. The only solution is the one I’ve stated - which is to insert a gain plugin after (or automatic gain-comp before and after).
The only other solution would be to use a chainer plugin like Blue Cat Patchwork or Nugen SigMod for these particular instances where I’m adding 12db on a plugin that offers no trim (or the trim is what I’m using to add 12db gain because it has colour-effect) and then using these wrapper plugins to save my +12db presets
The more efficient and logical the workflow, working out some of these details at the core level, the more people - will - buy this program.
A big asset working with Cubase is MediaBay and the Preset system, archiving, etc. So tacking on gain-trim onto the VST frame would be an extra level of OCD tidiness many people might appreciate, and simplify their gain matching work ethic (which is a professional ethic)
see
for more “complaints” 