Digital BW, The Print

I haven't read this whole thread, but I will add what is likely a dissenting voice 
here.  Using QTR with my  9600 and Matte Black ink, and printing on a variety 
of papers (Enhanced Matte, Photo Rag), I have never been able to get a B&W 
print that I consider neutral.  Since there is no "canned" neutral QTR profile, 
you have to blend the warm/cool/selenium profiles to get neutral.  I have 
experimented with various blends recommended by people on this forum, 
and also making further guesses and refinements as to what to blend to get to 
"neutral".  When I hold up any QTR print I've made (using various 
combinations/blends) next to a silver gelatin print and next to an ImagePrint 
print, the QTR print is not neutral in comparsion.  The difference may be slight, 
and you may find the slight coolness or warmth of a QTR print pleasing, but I 
have never been able to get "neutral" from QTR.   Of coure, it could just be me, 
but I've done a bit of experimentation with QTR.

Now: before I get attacked for bashing QTR, I've paid my shareware fee and 
think it's a fabulous product.  And, in fact, since I only have ImagePrint for the 
9600, I may start using QTR for my B&W work on the 4000.  Just answering 
whether I think QTR prints are "truly neutral" and my answer is basically "No, 
but for the hundreds of $ difference between QTR and ImagePrint, it may be 
close enough."


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "john dean" <
deanwork2003@y...> wrote:
> 
> With my 9600 on rag media they are absolutely neutral and without 
metamerism. Even 
> some of the quad inksets I've used had far more metamerism.
> 
> This rip is for real. I have not tried it with glossy media and the Epson photo 
black ink yet. 
> 
> Does anyone have experience with that?
> 
> john
> 
> :
> > 
> > Hi all,
> > 
> > While contemplating my next printer, I'm interested in subjective 
responses here.  With 
> the 
> > 2200 and epson inks, are QTR images truly neutral?  I realize that you can 
tone images, 
> > but are the results comparable to a dedicated quad inkset?  I am not 
looking for 
> > perfection, but I would prefer the ramp from black to white showing no 
color casts or 
> > crossovers.  Warm, neutral, or platinum tones are great - as long as the 
tone is stable 
> > from black to white.  I like the idea of one printer for color and black and 
white - and I 
> > only print on matte papers.
> > 
> > Don