I'm not disputing what you are saying Darren if that's how it seems.. more trying to understand WHY..
Transformers certainly want to operate on the linear portion of the B-H curve, but that's to maximise efficiency more than anything else..
I'd like to understand how the coil output VOLTAGE (I'm assuming we're talking 'aiming voltage' here) is reduced by operating the coil INTO saturation rather than AT saturation.