Digital BW, The Print

In my experience you can make excellent black and white prints using UltraChrome Inks 
and the Advanced Black and White (ABW) feature of the Epson driver printing with 
PhotoBlack Ink on Epson Premium Semi Matte paper. This is an RC type paper not cotton. 
And I am printing on a 4800, not a 2400. However, the 2400 uses the same driver with 
ABW (which is why I am responding to your question), but Premium Semi Matte is only 
available in large sheets or rolls. You would have to cut (and waste) a lot to make it fit the 
2400 feeder. Also, my guess is that the very good Epson profile for the PSM is not 
available for the 2400. I might be wrong about that, however. 

There are very good alternative papers that are made for the 2400.Read Clayton Jones' 
essays about a workflow for good (maybe excellent -- I don't know) black and white prints 
on the cotton papers using matte black ink on the 2400. I guess is that these prints look 
very good but lack a certain richness or depth. But you, as do many others, my find the 
look quite pleasing. Jones until recently was using the black only printing technique on the 
2200 (see below), but he seems now to be using the full Epson ink set on his 2400 without 
a third party rip. (see message 68027 and  his website).

You do not need a third party RIP to make excellent prints on the 2400, because the ABW 
feature is a great improvement over the driver in the 2200. But as Steve Kale points out on 
this forum the QuadToneRip new feature called ICC Create can be used to improve even 
these ABW prints (see messages 68030 and 68248). Also see Roy Harrington's website 
about QTR called quadtonerip.com.

With the 2200, my experience was that the UltraChrome inks could be used to make quite 
good black and white prints, using the matte black ink on cotton paper. But a third party 
RIP was essential. I used QuadToneRip, and I was a very satisfied customer. But I am much 
happier with the rich prints I am getting on PSM paper using ABW. This is a very strong 
argument for the 2400 over the 2200. I will go back to the cotton papers soon, because 
they have a fine look of their own, and I want to see how the new Epson driver handles 
them on my 4800.

Your other alternative on the 2200 is to use the dedicated grey scale ink sets made by MIS 
(see Paul Roark's website)or Cone (inkjetmall.com). Again, printing on cotton paper. The 
2200 with almost 
any setup produced problematic prints on glosssy paper. Maybe using ImagePrint did a 
better job of it, I don't know.

Finally, on the 2200, you have the option, documented and developed by Clayton Jones, of 
printing with just the black ink -- either the UltraChrome matte black or Eboni black made 
by MIS, which many seem to prefer.

My own view is that the 2400 is a better printer (a really good printer) compared with the 
2200 for making black and white prints, whether it be on cotton paper with MK ink or on 
semi matte (or Costco Glossy) using PK. No additional rip necessary, but perhaps even 
better results by employing QTR ICC Create.

You can search this site for all of the proper nouns I've referred to here to get more 
information.