[Leica] Help with bw printer decision

[drodgers7798 at comcast.net (David Rodgers)]

I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with the MIS Ultratone inks. 
I have an Epson 3000, which I really love. I've used it with Piezo (now 
sundance) quadtone inks for several years but my ink stock is just about 
gone. 

I'm trying to decide if. there's a better quadtone alternative for the 
3000. I'm reluctant to go the Piezotone route. Just after I'd stocked up 
on "perfect" ink, inkjet mall came up with a  new "perfect" ink, and 
began to talk about the flaws in the old perfect ink. Even though I 
understand how marketing works, it still left a bad taste in my mouth. 
Plus, it's about $500 to upgrade -- inks and new driver -- and I'm not 
sure the results are any better than I'd get with the MIS inks $200. I 
understand the MIS inks work with the Epson driver.

I'm considering a completely new printer; Epson 4000, R1800 or HP. But 
the 3000 has been a very dependable printer. I know it well. Still 
prints great. I don't want to throw it out. Especially since I'm not 
sure a new printer would be a noticable improvement in output. I'm 
looking at this in terms of  bw printing only. I have a Canon i9900 that 
I use for color. I'm not sure there are many 3000 users left. But I'd 
appreciate any and all feedback.

Thanks
Dave

PS. Don't know if this makes a difference, but my printing volume is  
not consistent. In a given month I may print a lot. But then I'll got 
for a month or two without printing. One of the things that I really 
like about the 3000 is that I never have a problem with it, regardless 
of inks, regardless of volume. The 8 or so other printers I've owned 
were all finicky. The 3000 is an abolute gem of a printer.