Digital BW, The Print

Hi,
I print about half colour and half black and white.

In both cases, despite different work flows, the prints are darker and contrastier than the monitor.

My monitor is calibrated and for colour I use custom profiles, so they should match.

My BW printing is done with QTR but, as I can't afford a spectro, I use the standard profiles and curves.

I do get good results in the end, but only after too much proofing.

What link in the chain is likely to be the problem? My monitor is a Philips CRT ... must be about 3 years old.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

thanks,
Richard
--
http://smallfield.vze.com
http://photos.smallfield.vze.com (Photos web site)
http://warkworth.vze.com/ (Warkworth photo essay)
http://picasaweb.google.com/rsmallfield/ (Recent work) 

   "Ya know, Mo, my mom once said something that really stuck with me. She
   said 'Homer, your a big disappointment' and God bless her soul,
   she was really onto something."
   --Homer Simpson

Assuming you've never studied/practiced formal Zone
System methodology in a wet darkroom, and assuming
you've never perfected color correction skills in a
wet/traditional color darkroom, here's your answer:

Sounds like you don't have the visual skills to make
quick visual corrections from the inevitable test
prints
(inevitable for people with high standards). 

Refined B&W inherently calls for the visual skills in
Zone System. No way around it. My own skills are rough
because I've not remained disciplined. 

Fine color calls for visual practice. Inkjet is no
different than C-printing in that respect. C-printing
has always had goofy "color analyzers" by Macbeth and
others, and those devices have always been shortcuts
that hindered acquisition of visual skills. Mediocre
photolab printers stayed mediocre if their clients
didn't demand advanced skills...and portrait/wedding
labs never demanded that, nor did Ciba/Ilfochrome
labs, whose materials were so high contrast that
subtleties available in C-print and now in inkjet were
not available to them...so they never learned.

In exhibition/gallery inkjet, the undeveloped color
skills of the printers are obvious, even when prints
are spectacular. This is emphasized by the proclivity
to entirely undemanding postcard scenics involving
sunsets over water and the like. Also seen in the love
of Velvia by films shooters...the least color-critical
of all current films because it's so contrasty.