Digital BW, The Print

Hi all,

  I've been lurking since the first few days of this forum.  You 
folks are great!!
  Somewhere I heard reference to "if you go too far the blackest 
black begins to lighten."
  I've noticed some of my deepest shadows are lighter than those next 
to them.  Also, an 11-step ramp (plus %5 and 95%)prints with the dark 
end patch lighter than the one next to it.  It (the 0% patch)is 
darker than the 10% but definitely lighter than the 5%.
  I'm using the original MIS Quadtones printing to an 1160.  It 
appears regardless of workflow.  It even appears with no tweaking at 
all.
  Does anyone know the cause of this and a possible fix? I was about 
to send an image to a longtime friend and great darkroom printer but 
he'd spot that problem in a second!
  Thanks,
  Richard