Digital BW, The Print

>... 1160 ... CIS system and VM inks.

>... 4 images side-by-side with the different curves
>applied), and ...they were ALL VERY cold. ...

Print a purge pattern and be sure the inks are in the right positions --
cyan = dark gray, magenta = light gray, yellow = bluish toner.

>... I've got all the images in RGB mode ...

Were the images in grayscale mode during editing, then converted to sRGB
just before application of the curve?  I recommend grayscale editing just to
be sure R=G=B at the point of the curves being applied and to have the g/s
to sRGB mode conversion apply the adjustments to the ramp in the shadow
tones (which the curves assume).

>In the Epson driver I've chosen these settings:
>Color ink
>Photo Paper (for Ilford Classic Pearl)

Stay with the "Matte Paper - Heavyweight" media setting even for RC papers.

Unless you have the new vm inkset -- the "Ultra Tone B&W" -- the pigmented
inks will not do well on RC paper.  They will "dust" and rub off easily
unless then are sprayed with a fixative after printing.  The new inks are
much better.

>Photo 1440dpi

Correct.

>ICM

No, use "Color Controls" with "Mode" set to "Automatic."

I hope this takes care of the problem.

If you use RC and like warmer prints, you really ought to be using the
Ultra-Tone B&W inkset, not the old VM inkset.

Good luck.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com