Digital BW, The Print

Hello All,

I'm currently using a 2000P (with UT2 ink) for B&W and a 1270 (with MIS 
Glossy Pigments) for color.  Both printers are fitted up with CFS systems. 
The black ink in the 1270 is not part of the CFS, but uses MIS spongeless 
carts, to allow for easy changeover between PK and MK.  The UT2 on the 2000P 
does both surfaces, of course, with no changeover. (Thanks, Paul!)  Both 
systems work great most of the time, though I do a fair amount of tweaking 
and cleaning to keep the CFSs going strong.  I have never used a RIP.

But just when things are going good...

I've got the itch to move to a bigger printer.  I do equal amounts of color 
and B&W, and I do both glossy and matte (pretty much equally).  I would like 
to experiment more with BO printing, but the 1270 bands and the 2000P is too 
coarse for my taste.  I'm starting to sell some prints, and so I've got a 
bit of money to reinvest into printing gear.  The 4800 will be around $2000, 
I guess.  The 4000 is around $1600 from online sources, with a $300 rebate 
that's good til June 30.  So, call it $1300.  (Actually $1250, delivered, 
from ebuyer.com, after rebate.)  I'd like to simplify my life and have just 
one printer, and use UC inks.

Now... do I have the pros and cons straight?  Both printers are built like 
tanks, and both accept the big 220ml cartridges for economy.

It sounds like the 4800 will do good B&W and color, on gloss and matte 
paper, right out of the box.  But it requires a MK-to-PK changeover that 
costs about $38 each time.  And some sources indicate that its BO 
performance is not good.

The 4000 does good matte color, but some say it takes spraying to get good 
gloss color (because of differential reflection).  With QTR, I understand it 
will do good B&W using the UC inkset, though I guess spraying is still 
needed with glossy paper?  But it carries both blacks onboard.  And it does 
good BO printing.

So it sounds like the only real downside of the 4000 is the need to spray on 
glossy paper.  How real is that problem?  Are some semi-matte/semigloss 
papers acceptable with UC inks without spraying?

Any other factors I ought to consider?  Advice welcome!

Thanks,

John Broski