I read that Epson will individually linearize each of their new series of printers (4800, 7800, etc.) and burn the linearization into memory as part of the manufacturing process.
I just purchased the ColorBurst RIP with the intent of trying it out and judging for myself. Plus, I want to see how a traditional RIP works. I recently attended a four-day color management and ProfileMaker 5.0 workshop given by a well-known printer support and consulting company. They also provide training for Onyx, which is a high-end RIP used in the printing industry.
As part of the class, we did a lot of testing on a 7600. Looking at the results of test printouts, the instructor commented that the Epson driver (and OEM drivers in general) just wasn't up to the standards that fine-art and printing industry applications require. For example, except possibly for the new Epson printers (and others?), one can't use a custom linearization when one uses an OEM driver. After linearizing and reprinting the tests, we got improved results using the Onyx RIP.
So, this is kind of hearsay, although the test results were improved. But, does this translate to noticeably improved results in printed photographs? That's why I purchased my RIP, to try it out and judge for myself.
As to the Epson RIP that they sell with a pro version of their 4000 printer, I wouldn't want it. It does not permit use of non-Epson profiles. So if you have non-Epson media, you're stuck without being able to use a custom profile. That's a show-stopper.
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