thanks very much for your feedback. ill try the piezo forums as you suggest.
your comment on the best base curves is very useful. as is you explanation of the possible causes for the posterization. in fact i think i will post my nozzles check it it doesn't fit the verbal description of it ive been told to expect. so i suspect my cartridges have been mis labeled by previous owner or misfiled (possibly by me as i had to top up the shade 5 after buying a new bottle from you guys.
it's my scottish blood that insists i use cheap papers until. 1 i know what im doing, 2 i get a reasonably decent print. i have just bought some epson archival matte for further testing and yes its printing similar problems and very similar to the cheap papers but obviously with a much better dmax. i am using the EP ENhanced matte curves they don't show as the file names exactly in the mac print qtr dialogue curve box though or im quoting the names in the QTR stand curve list not the full quad file names. so please excuse that confusion. i am indeed using the K7-2880 set of quad files.
the no-curve images are dark. but dont seem posterized. might just be a result of falling into the non ink swapped tone range if indeed inks are swapped. .Ink positions (as carts are labeled) agree with your positioning. how do i print an "ink separation" image as richard suggests. ive not come across that term yet. do ink positions agree with the order in the nozzle check print?
i have used the marrut purge file to try to improve the nozzle checks when one is not performing well. is there a 7600 nozzle check online i can visually check to see if mine matches. as i suspect it a mislabeled cartridge. although as you said the inks are mostly old.
much appreciated.