Calumet Brilliant Inks for Epson 2400/4000?

[dakotah_jackson]

Have both and Epson 4000 and the newer 2400. Calumet is marketing a set of inks

under the Brilliant name. Per their guys they have a color gamut the same or a

touch better than Epson K3 inks used in the 2400 series. Per them the life of

the prints using these inks will be the same, if not better than those of the K3

inks.

 

The 4000 uses the older inks and not the current K3 set. Is it feasible to

replace the 4000 older inkset with this newer set and be free from clogs and

problems?

 

Anyone know if there is validity to the claims of inkset permanence and gamut as

stated by Calumet? Anyone using these newer inks instead of the K3 inks who can

tell us how they do look in use?

 

It sounds good and the price is a lot lower than the Epson inkset prices. In

some cases 50% or so lower.

 

Do they work as advertised and will the 4000 use them?

[jtk]

How would Calumet know anything abut the permanence of their inks?

[carbon_dragon]

Well in the first inkjet printers, what faded the inks was light. Maybe they expose them to very high intensity light and somehow contend that that is equivalent to a larger time period of ordinary room light?

[robert_brake1]

If you are using third party inks you will need to profile each printer/paper/inkset. Not that

that is a negative. I use MIS MISPRO pigment inks in Epson dye printers with excellant

results. If you are going that route you open the door to a lot of options.

[jtk]

Calumet's a fine old company. I hope they publish some research to back up their clerks' assertions about the house brand.

 

They don't make ink, after all. They're just distributors. Maybe they're repackaging Lyson, about which some credible sources are tentatively very positive.

[dakotah_jackson]

I am familiar with Calumet, having purchased items from them for more than 30 years. Their house branded merchandise is often made by the brand name makers (see lenses... schneider/rodenstock as Caltar branded items) and work well. I have never gotten a bad copy and have purchased an even dozen through the years.

 

I got the advertising mailer that shows these Brilliant inks and then called for more information. If it is possible Calumet may well have the Epson folks doing this packaging and rebranding. Not saying they do but from earlier experience with a lot of photo gear it is possible.

 

I use the Epson K3 inks because they work and work well. Look good and print nicely and (if Wilhelm and accelerated aging testing is to be believed) last a long time when matched to papers for photo use.

 

Now we have Calumet entering the scene with these Brilliant Supreme Inkjet Printer Inks. Supposedly 'as good as' OEM inksets in all respects. Cost for a complete set(8 ink set) for my 2400 is $38.99 as an introductory offer and after that $77.99 for it. Individual cartridges are $9.99 each.

 

IF this is the same quality (color gamut chart I was emailed is so close as to be the same) I am interested. But... and it is the big one, I want some verification before trusting prints to be given away or sold to an aftermarket inkset. Don't want to see them fading off the wall or changing wierd colors on the owner.

 

Anyone with info who can help here is appreciated.

[jtk]

It's laughable to think that Calumet, a perhaps-significant distributor of Lyson, has a deal to rebrand Epson while at the same time they are a minor dealer of Epson brand.

 

Caltar rebrands of Rodenstock are irrelevant.

 

If I wanted an alternative color ink, I'd use MIS because of the excellent experience I've had with their B&W ink. But since I factor OEM reliability with the savings I get from www.inkjetart.com (which surely sells more ink than Calumet!) I'm not bothering :-)

 

Recent gossip about Lyson suggests it might be a credible alternative to OEM. I strongly suspect (hope) Calumet is rebranding Lyson. If there's truth to any of their marketing assertions, Calumet will provide documentation. Lyson does not seem to have bothered.