Digital BW, The Print

I think I'm in the same boat as you: need to print on both glossy and matte 
paper, but don't want the expense of changing inks.

> 
> UT2 is smoother, cheaper, and has a better tone/hue range than IP5 in B&W
> mode.  (This might have changed if IP can now go full color and B&W in a
> single image.)

Here's a point related to the quote above: I'm thinking about which route is 
actually "cheaper" -- (a) one 9600 ($4000 refurbished) plus ImagePrint 
($2500 for the raster-only version for the 9600) or (b) 2 9600's, one running 
UC inks for color ($4000), plus one running B&W inks ($4000 plus cost of 
inks).  

Option (a) is $6500 in initial costs, BUT you have to add in the cost of 
changing inks when necessary.  The cost is about $100 in wasted ink per 
each switch, I believe.  Option (b) is about $8700 (I'm assuming a set of UT-2 
cartidges for the 9600 would be about $700 -- I have no idea what they'd 
really cost), BUT you can deduct the cost of changing from photo black to 
matte black if your (Paul's) approach pans out.  Because I'm thinking about 
this in a commercial environment, I image that clients will want B&W prints on 
both glossy and matte, and that the cost of switching inks therefroe becomes 
significant in a fairly short time.  Further reducing the long-term cost of option 
(b) would be to set up the 9600 running UT-2 inks with a bulk flow system.  I 
guess  option (c) would be to have 2 9600's, with one running the Septone 
system ($2500) instead of the UT-2 inks, bringing the cost of this option to 
$10,500 (2 printers at $4000 each plus $2500 for the Septone setup).

This whole picture changes when and if Epson introduces 8-ink wide-format 
printers.  Then it's a closer question whether the improvement in B&W quality 
using a grayscale inkset v. using UC inks w. IP justifies the extra initial 
investment in 2 printers.  I have not had the opportunity to directly test any 
grayscale inkset's B&W output versus UC inks w. IP (which is what I'm 
currently using on my 2200).  Any input from anyone in addition to Paul on 
this issue would be great.

I'm not sure there are points above requiring a response from Paul -- just my 
thoughts.