Digital BW, The Print

>... I too am looking for the best possible Black & White
> quality attainable from a 2200 (or I'll consider an upgrade). 


What's best, of coures, is very dependent on subjective factors and 
preferences.

I assume there are very good MIS and Piezo options.  There are also 
new OEM printer offerings that can do all you're looking for.

> I ... have been trying out the QTR
> rip & a few papers but primarily Moab Entrada Bright 
>(as opposed to Natural for the extra bit of punch 
> I seem to get from a whiter base).

The brighteners (OBAs) give a "punch," but they are normally dyes 
that will fade, making the paper tone and image warm up.  I use 
brightened paper now and like its looks, but I worry about how that 
yellowing paper will affect the impression of quality down the road.

> Now I am interested in the more recently introduced 
> baryta papers like Ilford Gold Fibre Silk ...

So, you'll need matte and glossy compatible inks.  

How important is it to have the PK and MK in the printer at the same 
time?  

> ... I am getting 'gloss differential' or 'bronzing' ...

There are almost always reflective artifacts on glossy papers.  The 
use of a gloss optimizeer (Glop) helps.  Some inksets are better than 
others, but they almost all can be helped by a coating -- either glop 
while printing or Print Schield spray.

The glossy prints also have trouble with "pizza wheel" marks.

>... indoors in these cold northern climes ...

You may want glop in your inkset.  It helps.

> I don't know if a different inkset would be all I need?

That or just step into an existing system with a new printer that is 
up and running.

The standard UT14 and a cheap 1400 would probably the the easiest 
route -- variable tones, matte and glossy without changing inks, and 
glop installed.  
See http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/UT14.pdf 


>... to get the "ultimate" B&W quality.

For me, matte paper and carbon would be the ultimate, but the search 
for the ultimate is never ending, and different for different people.

I'm currently printing with mostly Eboni-6, and I like monotone 
hextone inkset approach.  (See http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Eboni-
6.pdf)  

But, for better tone, stability, and paper flexibility reasons I and 
several others are testing several new HP PK dilution approaches.  
This can make matte and glossy inksets that can vary between HP 
neutral-cool and carbon warm.  
See http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Ink-Mixing.pdf 
But these would only be for people who like to get into the inks like 
we used to get into darkroom processes.


> ... it's hard to find a definitive review - MIS, Cone, Epson, 
HP,....


They can all be very good.  There are too many variables to say one 
is the "ultimate."  

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com