Digital versus Enlarger print sharpness opinions

[Bill_1856]

It's important that tests like this be done, to satisfy us what the possibilities are; but unless the results show a clear difference then it doesn't make any difference what one does to get his desired results.

[Peter De Smidt]

This thread has demonstrated the helpfulness of doing this type of thing, as his prints now are significantly sharper.

[Thalmees]

IMHO, the test is very conclusive at this level.
Even when considering the scan of the un-aligned optical print in the comparison, leave alone the aligned optical print.
There is another gap. A technological gap. A misleading gap. Unfortunately, and IMHO, an abused gap among photographic communities over the cyberspace.
My apologies for any reader who find my words inappropriate.
Monitor world is another thing !
Amazing, clarity, contrast, back illumination, etc... Etc...
When you come to reality, every thing turned to be really factual !
I think, scanners(as well as sensors), specially the good ones, are black holes between virtual universe and real universe.
The clear difference between the first generation(leave alone second generation of film scan) digital image on the monitor, and it's digital print, is widely known and appreciated as part of the production sequence of the digital image. The difference is big as far as I know. Please correct me if you wish.
So, the expectation about the scan of the digital print from the film scan above, is IMHO very predictable, regardless how the quality the digital printer has.
What I wish to know, is the type and surface of paper that John used to get that clean scans from his prints ?

[cowanw]

Well I have done the darkroom testing regarding the neutral density issue.
and never say never.
Firstly using the Zone vi blue green additive enlarger, adding equal amounts of blue and green do not equate to neutral density. It is important to maintain the relative amounts of each colour. So that , if you find a time of 10 sec for green and 2 second for blue ( in split printing), neutral density of one stop would be a setting of 5 sec for green and 1 sec for blue.
Using an LPL dichroic colour head enlarger, I printed a good print at grade 1 (68 yellow and 10 Magenta) and 10 seconds. I then added 50 units to both (118 units yellow and 60 units magenta) gave a print that was substantially the same as the first print.
As expected, the cyan has no effect on B&W papers: adding 50 units or zero units to the prints accomplished nothing except to make the enlarger lamp colour look more cyan (or minus red in a subtractive system).

So on my subtractive enlarger equal parts of yellow and magenta do indeed act as a neutral density.
On my additive enlarger equal parts of blue and green are not a neutral density.
Cyan or red are neither here nor there.

thanks for the teaching moment.

[John Olsen]

IMHO, the test is very conclusive at this level.

What I wish to know, is the type and surface of paper that John used to get that clean scans from his prints ?

I'm using Ilford Multigrade Fiber Base "classic" glossy surface. Thanks for asking.