Step Up/Down Transformers - Good or Bad?

I think Albert has the best solution. You should however remember that the power company uses various step down transformers before it gets to your house. Thus there should be no real problem.

As my electrician friend told me its amps not volts that kill.

"think your buddy would tell you that twice the volts gets you twice the amps, when other factors are equal."

Makes sense since my 120 line fuse is 15 amps and my 220 line fuse for ac is 30 amps.
Point is you can get a high voltage low amp line.
Today's' circuits are safe. They even have lines that detect a short and shut off. (Modern bathrooms and kitchens are required to have such a circuit by code. Just in case you drop the hair dryer into the tub.)A determined individual can still electrocute themselves.

"My personal favorite is the high magnitude even order harmonic distortion that you get with vaccum (sic)tubes."

Not to get off topic but the more accurate statement is, if tubes have distortion it is more likely to be even order.
The better tube designs can sound quite neutral.

"...Agreed, but would they still sound neutral without signal distortion?..."

"Without signal distortion." That is neutrality defined. Second order harmonics is a pleasant distortion. But distortion none the less.

Second order distortion is not inherent in tube designs.