CT+level commands (like you do from RM) definitely turn the bulb on, even if Level and color prestaging are on. Color + level comands from RM do not turn the bulb on if color prestaging is on.
Setting just the ct without the level, does prestage. So it appears there is a difference between CT and Color. With prestaging on, Color is ALWAYS prestaged, no matter if you use set color or set color and level. CT on the other hand only prestages when it is sent separately. You have to issue the set CT then set level then it will be prestaged. To put it another way, this is how you have to prestage color temp.
While this is how you can prestage RGB:
