Digital BW, The Print

I have been regularly using USFA on the 4800 for a while now and 
recently I did a firmware update (to A0045A.800).  Since that change 
a few days ago, I've had less the perfect screen to print match and I 
decided to reprofile the USFA (using two targets).  The prints had 
become significantly "crisper" and somewhat darker than the Soft 
Proof.  The surprise in measuring the new targets is that the dmax 
for the K3/USFA is up from an average around 1.64 to 1.70.  Having 
profiled the USFA three times since I got the printer, the USFA dmax 
was consistent to this time.  The change in firmware did not occur 
during any ink changes (except for a light magenta) or paper batch 
changes.

So here are the USFA figures:

Old target, original measure:  1.637 (LAB 17.02)
Old target, remeasured today:  1.649 (LAB 16.71)
New target, number 1:  1.712 (LAB 15.18)
New target, number 2:  1.702 (LAB 15.42)

I have not yet reprofiled the EEM (which I use for proofs) or the VFA 
(which I use occasionally for final prints), but these are also 
obviously crisper than before, expecially the VFA.  I imagine the VFA 
is pushing 1.8 or better by the look of it.  Even the EEM looks 
surprisingly good (the "smoke" and most of the mottling is finally 
gone from the blacks).

The single other firmware change I made about five weeks ago produced 
no such changes.  What do others think of this issue?  I'm hoping 
Epson is actually on to something with this.  Visually this is a 
significant difference.

Walt