Xeikon 6000

[MJ]

Does anyone know if the new Xeikon 's quality is better than Indigo? How does it compare?

Thanks
Mary Jo

[Stussy]

We run the Xeikon 5000 & Indigo1000 - the quality is not as good as Indigo (even Indigo 1000), but the Xeikon really makes up for it in other areas such as A2 size, printing both sides in one pass, excellent front end.

That said, we have produced some bookwork off it that Indigo couldn't touch. Maybe the Indigo5500 with the light cyan & mag, would surpass, but get the right job and stock combination on the Xeikon and you get great results - think uncoated type bookwork.

It really is aimed at light to medium coverage bookwork though. VDP it excels at!

The FA toner is much improved over what we are running.

Stuss

[MJ]

Stuss, Thanks for replying,

What you said is pretty much what I thought. The Indigo has great quality, but is slow. I'm curious as to what you mean by the Xiekon is better at light to medium coverage. What happens on heavy coverage jobs? Does it pick? Also, what would make Xiekon's front end excel at VDP? Does it rip faster? Less crashes?

Thanks for the input

Mary Jo

[Stussy]

Heavy coverage just pushes the cost up a little beyond that of an Indigo 'click' rate. But I guess that depends on the deal you have in place with Xeikon. We are not on a click rate, and find that an average of 22% coverage(per colour), which is pretty normal for bookwork, is competitive to Indigo click rate.

It can pick, it is rare though. Really depends on the stock (and i'm talking 380% coverage). Some stocks it loves, others just don't work. But as you buy more or less by the tonne (each roll is normally about half a tonne), it can be an expensive way to find out. Compared to Indigo, where a couple of free sample sheets can generally give you a good indication if the substrate is suitable.

The X800 front end is really on the money. I guess I'm comparing this to Indigo - and only the 1000 front end at that. But throwing PPML work at it is no problems - which we cannot do with Indigo. But the RIP is fast, and very stable, heaps of colour management features (ICC- both vector and image, tone curves etc), great layout tools, easy previewing of jobs, good hot folder support.

Stuss