Digital BW, The Print

Thanks all to the replies posted to my original query.  I can't say 
that I expected all my questions to answered.  That's OK.  The replies 
I did receive seem to indicate that users of the MIS variable-tone ink 
and the Roarke curves are confident that system will yield output that 
can stand up to the Piezo system.

One question I really was hoping to get an answer to is whether my 
negative experience with MIS inks and the Brandin curves vs. Piezo 
could be corraborated by anyone else.  And I don't really mean to be 
critical of the Brandin curves.  At the time I was new to the whole 
digital thing so maybe I didn't give those curves a fair shake.

Can anyone speak to a comparison of Brandin vs. Roarke vs. Piezo?  If 
anyone is hesitant to post critical opinions of any of these 3 systems 
to the list please feel free to e-mail me off list.

Thanks,
Mike Dawson
 
> 
> 1. Any comments on the Brandin curves?  Are the complaints I list 
> above known problems with the Brandin curves?
> 
> 2. Will I get better results with the Roarke curves (compared to the 
> Brandin curves)?  Are Roarke curves available for the original inks 
or 
> do I have to use the Variable-Tone inkset?  I do admit that the 
> variable tone capability is enticing.
> 
> 3. I am really intrigued by the Full Spectrum inks and the fact that 
> they can be used with the Piezo software.  Alas, I just sold off my 
2 
> 1160 printers and there does not seem to be a hextone set of these 
> inks available.  Are there plans to produce hextone?
> 
> 4. Any comments on the comparative quality of a Woolf workflow 
> quadtone print vs. a Roarke Variable tone print with zero blue?
> 
> 5. Ignoring cost... would anyone care to give a perfectionists 
opinion 
> on whether the Piezo driver with the Full Spectrum inks gives 
superior 
> prints to the Epson driver?
> 
> 6. I'm not into the whole "blacker blacks" or "cooler tones" topics 
> that are issues for many.  My priority is dot-less output, 
continuous 
> tone, no posterization, near-zero ink bleed.  Given this would 
anyone 
> care to rank the quality of a) Piezo ink and b) MIS inks with c) 
Piezo 
> driver and d) Epson driver?
> 
> That's a lot of questions but thanks for any and all input.
> 
> Mike Dawson