Transistor Preamp that sounds like a Tube Preamp?

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.

Asa, think of me as the class clown. I am glad you did not feel insulted by my friendly poke at your post. It is obvious that you are very passionate about music reproduction, and have thought very deeply about how the mind experiences reproduced music.

As for a SS preamp that sounds like a tube preamp, try to listen to the Ayre KX-R if you get a chance. It does all the tube things so well (in my limited experience) that I am totally satisfied. In specific, it does the "projection" trick very well. Of course, your standards might be more exacting.

Good listening.

hi saxo:

the attributes that you desire need to be present at thesource. if not, it will be difficult for a preamp or amp to compensate for what the source --analog or digital does not provide.

so, does your source satisfy the objectives you desire for your preamp ?

if so, it may be sufficient to find a pre amp, which does no harm, i.e., is relatively uncolored. in such a case, the preamp will pass the signal you desire to the amp, which hopefully is relatively uncolored and then to the speakers.
oops, i forgot about the cable. well, hopefully, the cable and the room does no harm. this is elementary stuff, which has been mentioned many times before.

a lot of links here. recording and source are better places to start.

i believe the best recording with mediocre components sounds "better" than a mediocre recording with the "best" components.