Digital BW, The Print

I've been doing a lot of setup here with the K3s and StudioPrint. This
is on photo papers with PK. For MK prints I much prefer the quads. But
for this I think the standard to hit or exceed is the Epson ABW driver.
I have finally slightly bettered that just a bit with careful dot
choice, full GCR, and careful linearizarion and CMYK profiling. Then
the worlflow is simply to drop an RGB file in the RIP, toned or not,
and let it do it's CMYK thing. With a neutral file there is very
little Y ink, and C+M presence only to neutralize per the profile. The
advantages are less dottiness, and easy RGB hue control in the file,
smooth and neutral ramp. With RGB profiles made from quads, I've even
replicated the Cone warm and selenium hues by assigning them first.
I'm not particularly recommending this, I just recall a lot of
curiousity about what SP may do with the K3s back when they came out.
I'm curious why I've seen no QTR vrs ABW reports with the K3s, I would
think a careful setup may compete well with it, and of course allow
the complete removal of Y if desired.
I think all of the above could be applied to any good RIP and CMYK
profiler. It's interesting that only 3 years ago or so, profilers
could not make such a neutral ramp as B&W workers require, of course
the drivers sucked as well.
Naturally I'm dying to do all this on the new Innova and/or Hanna
paper when I get my hands on some, if not Silver Rag.
Tyler