Digital BW, The Print

I spent many hours yesterday evaluating bw printing with the epson 
2200 : the news is not good. All my tests were done with epson semi 
gloss and photoblack ink.

Basically this printer seems incapable of producing a true bw print, 
at least using the software and driver incuded with the printer. I 
tried all settings available in different combinations, including 
varying the amount of CMY ink via driver. I also tried the epson 
PK_semigloss ICM profile. In all cases you get a print with a colour 
cast, usually M. Some settings may even introduce a secondary cast in 
the shadows or highlights. Now some may want tinted prints and find 
them aesthetically acceptable, but based on my evaluation I would be 
very surprised if it is physically possible for this machine to print 
a perfect grayscale. It can however produce ok-looking monochrome 
prints, and by experimenting you may find a pleasing tint.

The only way I was able to produce what appeared to me as a true 
monochrome print was by turning off the colour in the driver, forcing 
the machine to use only two inks. The resulting print was not-bad, 
free of colour casts but quite warm in appearance, sort of sepia 
toned.

Conclusion : this aint a bw printer.