"Any additional stage in the signal chain reproduction ( it does not matter the quality of that stage ) degraded the quality reproduction of this signal. Period."
You said it. My point exactly. If you don't use a transformer then you must employ either a tube or a transistor. Neither device is linear. Each will add noise and distortion. To say all transformers are bad and all active gain stages more desirable is crap. It all comes down to good engineering and design. Each method has its virtues and drawbacks. BTW, my phono preamp has one of those 'nasty' tranformers at the input AND at the output.
