[PiperH]

We're a small design studio with a network of 5 macs. We currently use a G3 with system 9.2 to run a postscript RIP (Epson StylusRIP) which prints to an Epson 1520 for colour visuals. We're now regularly using more ink on the cleaning programme than on printing so we're thinking about an update to the kit.

Anyone have real world experience and advice on an economical setup for producing rough in-house visuals and client presentation prints, postscript from Quark and FreeHand etc? Has to be up to A3+ and ideally work well on OSX, available to all the users on the in-house ethernet network.

Any tips gratefully received.

[art_director]

It's not a cheap option but the Xerox 7700DN is perfect for your office.

( http://www.office.xerox.com/perl-bin...l?product=7700 )

I'm an office of one and I use this printer. Slightly overkill for my size but it does an amazing job. I charge clients for lasers at the same rate design shops / agencies. Not to mention, my presentations look every bit as good as the big multi-national shops.

BTW, it was a tought pill to swallow – buying this. It cost $7,000 when I got it two years ago. But it was paid for within a month by charging for my comps. Now, aside from toner and paper, every print is pure profit.