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EPSON 7900 & 9900
User Report
by Julian Mussi
© Spectraflow, Inc.
415-382-8681
Nov 2008
Introducing the Epson Stylus Pro 7900 and 9900
In May Epson announced two new professional inkjet printers, the Stylus Pro 7900 (24”) and Stylus Pro 9900
(44”). Far from a simple update to the existing 7880 and 9880, these printers form a separate product line, with
Epson continuing to produce the x880 series. The new models build upon the existing X880 series while intro-
ducing some fairly innovative fun
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The chart below highlights some of the differences between the X880 and the X900. Epson 7900/9900 Epson 7880/9880 MSRP $3995/$5995 (without spectro) $2995/$4995 Inks C,lc,M,lm,Y,PK,MK,LK,LLK,O,G C,lc,M,lm,Y,PK,MK,LK,LLK Inkset Epson Ultrachrome HDR Epson Ultrachrome K3 vivid magenta Auto cleaning and nozzle verifi - Yes No cation Print Head Nozzles 360 180 Max Ink Cartridge size 700 220 Auto Black Switching Yes No 53.4/73.4 X 26.3 X 48 186lbs/255lbs 53/67 X 30 X 46 131lbs/198lbs Dimensio
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in general was simple and the inclusion of animations on the screen aids users in performing simple tasks such as loading the paper or changing inks. Paper feed system Epson’s media handling system has always been very straightforward and has seen little change over the last 10 years. The simplicity of the system was its strength, and while I’m not generally a fan of fixing things that aren’t broken, the new media handling system on the 900 series is really nice. My favorite change is the
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X900 after several seconds the printer is almost silent. The fan can just barely be heard and the print head is virtually silent. Even the cutter is quieter. Not a major issue for most, but a nice change regardless. Print head The print head in the X900 is a slightly modified version of the one in the 11880. Compared to the x880, this head features a higher nozzle density, which as well as other less obvious internal changes designed to in- crease print efficiency and make the head less prone
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Linearization The linearization option is specific to media and resolution, although the user is given the option of linearizing all resolutions in a row. To linearize, 720, 1440, and 2880 takes about 45 minutes. A single resolution takes about 15 minutes, which is similar to the time it takes the HP to perform the same function. I like printers that are able to re-linearize, it ensures that printer drift is held in check and provides piece of mind for high end users. It is worth noting, how
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The X900 also incorporates an automated clog detection systems, a paperless method that uses light to detect clogged nozzles. If clogged nozzles are detected the printer will automatically run a head cleaning cycle, and then verify that the clogs were removed. This system is more elegant than reading printed patches to detect clogged nozzles, and should further reduce wasted paper and ink. Auto Switching Blacks One of my only long standing complaints with Epson printers has been the requireme
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Ultrachrome HDR In the beginning there was Ultrachrome. Ultrachrome K3 added the light light black, and K3 with Vivid Ma- genta saw a reformulation of the magenta and light magenta inks. The Espon X900 showcases the latest Ultrachrome variant, dubbed Ultrachrome HDR (High Dynamic Range). This new version adds an orange and green ink to the mix. At the same time the ink set features an improved pigment encapsulation that is sup- posed to eliminate bronzing and gloss differential. Gloss differen
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Looking at a large collection of prints it would be difficult to say that any printer consistently produced the best prints. The greens were more saturated on the 7900 and Z3200 than those produced on the 7880. The 7900 hold more saturation in the shadows, while the Z3200 produced marginally punchier bright greens. In a few specific cases, the Z3200 produced a red that was perceived as more saturated than the Epson’s. Interestingly, the blue on the 7880 produced consistently good results, wh
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Printer Drivers and MyEpson.com The Drivers found on the x900 are very similar to those for the x880 printers. One nice change is that the driver will now intelligently sync with Photoshop CS3/CS4. If color management is set to “Photoshop Manages Colors” in Photoshop the driver will automatically disable printer color management, avoiding color manage- ment conflicts. The Mac driver now also supports 16 bit input when printing from OS X 10.5. This option does give the driver more data from w
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Summary Until recently Epson has really only had one professional printer, with 17”, 24”, and 44” variations. I think it’s testament to the success of their design that they were able to dominate the fine art markets and large portions of the proofing market. Over the last ten years they have continued to refine the pro line to the current X880 series. Starting this year epson has begun to expand from their single printer line, first with the eco solvent GS6000 and now with the 900 series pr
