Originally all of my printing was done on an Epson Stylus Pro 4880 a really great printer for paper 17×22 inches. However, through my own fault it suffered a catastrophic failure and rather than pay the hefty price for a new own I bought the Epson 3880. Prints are wonderful and the printer does not clog as much as the 4880 did.
Recently I decided to order additional inks for my Epson Stylus Pro 3880 and, much to my horror, I saw a huge increase in ink prices…some 25-30%. So, what is an older retiree to do if he wants to continue selling prints. OEM is generally the only way but I am intrigued with the color inks by Joh Cone (https://conecolor.com/) a pioneer in digital print making. Most famously, Jon is known for his Piezograph brand of monochrome inks and software.
Reviews seem to vary on his encapsulated inks. Many say ConeColor inks are a great alternative to OEM inks because the color gamut is virtually the same. However, when it comes to print longevity there is a great disparity….one review says it’s only 25% of OEM while others say print fading is almost the same as OEM. Definitive testing needs to be conducted as ConeColor inks are much much cheaper. The downside of course is it cancels Epson’s warranty.
One thing about ColorCone…they offer flushing fluids and cartridges if your Epson system is thoroughly clogged.
Just some random thoughts…but, I might just go ahead and try the inks.