Transistor Preamp that sounds like a Tube Preamp?

Is "bloom" necessarily an attribute of better tube equipment?

With the best tube system I've heard recently in terms of $$$$s by a longshot (VTL and VAC), I did not hear an overt amount of tube warmth or "bloom", just a touch of warmth and overall smoothness and flow that resulted in a very natural sound on Magico minis (no sub). It was not that much different from a good SS system I thought.

Another much less expensive but certainly no slouch system (AR + Rogue) had a lot of "bloom". It was very pleasant and musical but I did not think it necessarily as natural or realistic sounding. This was with USher monitors and a Rel sub. Maybe it was the Rel sub that added some of the "bloom" I heard in the low end.

Agree, bloom is not warmth, I think of it as Tvad describes it. And I agree on the Pass; I feel very stupid having sold my XA30.5; I miss it and may get one again.

Bloom means whatever one wants I suppose. Never used the term before so I'm guessing.

To me it would seem to go with the nature of some tube systems I've heard to make certain fundamental elements of the music comprising the rhythm and flow more predominant and obvious. Hence the observation that a certain system has good rhythm and pacing perhaps, in terms I have heard used before.

Definitely not the same in my mind as warmth though, which is a different attribute associated more commonly with tubes..

Of course, I'm making this all up based on my own interpretation unless there is a formal definition or common reference out there somewhere?

Holographic projection of sound field into the room is not necessarily the domain of tubes. I've heard many SS systems that do this extremely well.

"Bloom" to me just does seem like something that I would associate with the common tube sound more so than SS.

bloomed, bloom·ing, blooms
v.intr.
1.
a. To bear a flower or flowers.
b. To support plant life in abundance: rains that made the yard bloom.
2. To shine; glow.
3. To grow or flourish with youth and vigor.
4. To appear or expand suddenly: White vapor bloomed from the side of the rocket's fuel tank.
v.tr.
1. To cause to flourish.
2. Obsolete To cause to flower.