Digital BW, The Print

I do most of the printing for my institution here at Beinecke Library, Yale University.  I get 
a lot of requests for fine quality black and white prints.  Now I am using the channel mixer 
to reduce to grey scale or using a new adjustment layer and a gradient to get a grey scale 
and printing with all the color inks.  I have been getting good results with this system, but 
I know I can do better.  This system seem intuitavely better than what I am doing, using 
color inks to achieve a black and white image.  My question is this:  are these inks/this 
printing system really that good?  Everyone pitches their product as the best thing since 
sliced bread.  I really want to like this product, but would like to hear what others who 
have used it think before I commit the $$$ of my department to buy the inks.  I appreciate 
any feedback that anyone can give.

Chris.

> My question is this:  are these inks/this 
> printing system really that good?

In short, yes. But the trouble is that there is no one "system". There
are probably as many systems as there are people on this list.
Everyone is using their own combination of inks/printers/software. The
best thing you can do is get a hold of some prints and see for
yourself. You'll have quite a time deciding which system you're going
to try. Don't worry though, everyone here will tell that what they are
doing is the best. ;-)

If you contact me offlist I'd be happy to send you a print. I know
there are other generous souls here as well, though they may not admit
it publicly.

-Jason (jason at defontes dot com)