Digital BW, The Print

My local Sams has dropped the price of the HP 8750xi down to $430.00.
 
I have been saving up money to purchase an Epson 2400; however, at 
$430.00 I am very tempted to purchase the 8750.  
 
The printer uses three tri color cartridges:  
  Cart 1:  Magenta, Cyan, and Yellow
  Cart 2:  Photo Blue Cartridge with light Cyan, BLUE, and light 
Magenta
  Cart 3:  Photo Black Cartridge with three shades of black
 
My biggest concerns are the use of multi color ink cartridges 
instead of single color cartridges and the apparent lack of 3rd 
party RIP support for HP printers in general.

Can you print on the nicer photo rag papers with this printer?
 
Would any of you be so kind as to offer you thoughts on the 8750 in 
general and specifically B&W printing with it?
 
Thanks!!!

> Can you print on the nicer photo rag papers with this printer?
>  
> Would any of you be so kind as to offer you thoughts on the 8750 
in 
> general and specifically B&W printing with it?
>  
> Thanks!!!
>

In my hunt for a printer I tested glossy B&W shots on a Fuji 
Frontier, the Epson R220, a Canon Pixma, a newer HP, and others, and 
thought that the HP glossy looks better than the Frontier or Epson 
(greater density than frontier, more attractive and glossier looking 
paper than the Epson Premium Glossy) and if you like the look is a 
good (if expensive) way to go.  Bring a memory card to a Best Buy 
and try it yourself.

I ended up with the R220 printing with MIS inks on matte, which is 
relatively cheap, and the matte look on Innova Photo Smooth Cotton 
is quite nice and really different from a glossy print. I still get 
glossies done on the Frontier as I dislike the Epson Premium Glossy 
Paper, can't get the semi-matte to print without banding and find 
Paul's ICC for the Kirkland paper to print overly light.