Digital BW, The Print

Walt,

>...
>2. Is the proposal to simply swap out the Epson yellow and 
>replace it with the MIS EZWRM yellow and print through the 
>ABW driver *without* RIP or curves? 

Yes, it's for a very simple, ABW-controlled setup that should produce the
best B&W results.  A rip can do essentially the same thing.

>(I am assuming an ICC profile "on top" of the ABW driver.)

It could be used.  Frankly, however, I managed to find settings that got me
very close to the standard Gray Gamma 2.2 ramp.

>3. Am I correct that the MIS ink part number for this 
>procedure is the "EZWRM-[quantity]-Y"?

Yes.  The EZW-Y chip actually works in the 2400.  (May tell you something
about the C88 and 2400 inks.)  

>4. While I know that the cyan is fairly stable and that Paul 
>thinks highly of the stability of the Epson magenta, 

(Relatively.)

>is the removal of the Epson yellow that significant in 
>reducing the total amount of color ink used by the ABW driver. 

Compare the 1600 dpi scans here:
http://home1.gte.net/res09aij/2400_RGB_Y=EZW_1600-DPI.jpg

The ABW with Y=EZW is considerably smoother than the ABW with yellow
installed.  With the yellow removed, you slide the ABW controls up toward
the yellow end substantially to get the same, for example, neutral, print.
This cuts out a lot of the cyan and magenta.  So, it's not just that the
yellow is gone, but also the LC and LM that were used too offset it are also
gone.  This improves smoothness, longevity, and metamerism.  (And it makes
me feel better knowing that the least amount of color pigs are used.)

>I should add that I have no interest in using the 4800 for
> color work, so the limited gamut of the MIS yellow is not 
>an issue for me.

Obviously if one want to use the 4800 for color, I'd recommend a rip instead
of the Y=Carbon ABW approach.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com