Ricoh c7100 or KM c1085 Does anyone have experience with both?

[crossroads]

We are looking to add better digital printer as our ricoh c5100 is not reliable enough for our needs. It is also too picky about stock. The leasing company has has recommended the Ricoh c7100 or KM c1085. The price is very close.What is important to us is that it can print on all stocks from 80# txt gloss to 14pt with near 0 jamming and near perfect registration. We plan on running about 75k-85k clics per month and dont want to be down every 2 weeks. So far 2 points on the ricoh side is the user replaceable components and the ability to print some envelopes. Does anybody have any input. Thank you all for your help. I am particularly interested in hearing if either of these machines have done well witch envelopes.

 

[MacDaddy]

I could be wrong but I think the the km 1070 runs envelopes not 1085. But I have heard great thing's about 1085 getting ours in two weeks.

 

[Cameron]

I dont have experience with both, but we do have the 1085, and know of another local competitor that has the 7100. We had the km8000, it was aweful. The 1085 though, is a beast. I have heard good things from our competitor on the 7100 as well.

That being said.. couple things...
Near perfect registration: our 1085 is fantastic.. want perfect? Good luck.
Envelopes: Heard lots of sales people talk about it. Tech hates it. Aweful to run unless you want people babysitting the hell out of a digital machine just to run 50. I wouldn't ever try running envelopes on a digital copier again.. but just my opinion.
Service: if every two weeks is not acceptable to you I dont really know if your expectations are within reason. We go longer sometimes... we see them more often sometimes.. ive seen 30,000 sheets with 5 jams. But they come as often as we need them to keep it tip top. If you run envelopes in it expect it to be more often thats for sure.

It sounds like you are looking at two really good machines but you should adjust your expections.. near perfect registration and near to non existant service visits... get a heidelberg. Even then we see our heidelberg service tech that often. Not at all intended to be rude.. just part of the day to day operations in my opinion.

 

[msaeger]

I dont have experience with both, but we do have the 1085, and know of another local competitor that has the 7100. We had the km8000, it was aweful. The 1085 though, is a beast. I have heard good things from our competitor on the 7100 as well.

That being said.. couple things...
Near perfect registration: our 1085 is fantastic.. want perfect? Good luck.
Envelopes: Heard lots of sales people talk about it. Tech hates it. Aweful to run unless you want people babysitting the hell out of a digital machine just to run 50. I wouldn't ever try running envelopes on a digital copier again.. but just my opinion.
Service: if every two weeks is not acceptable to you I dont really know if your expectations are within reason. We go longer sometimes... we see them more often sometimes.. ive seen 30,000 sheets with 5 jams. But they come as often as we need them to keep it tip top. If you run envelopes in it expect it to be more often thats for sure.

It sounds like you are looking at two really good machines but you should adjust your expections.. near perfect registration and near to non existant service visits... get a heidelberg. Even then we see our heidelberg service tech that often. Not at all intended to be rude.. just part of the day to day operations in my opinion.

Are you sure you aren't secretly a service tech

 

[msaeger]

We are looking to add better digital printer as our ricoh c5100 is not reliable enough for our needs. It is also too picky about stock. The leasing company has has recommended the Ricoh c7100 or KM c1085. The price is very close.What is important to us is that it can print on all stocks from 80# txt gloss to 14pt with near 0 jamming and near perfect registration. We plan on running about 75k-85k clics per month and dont want to be down every 2 weeks. So far 2 points on the ricoh side is the user replaceable components and the ability to print some envelopes. Does anybody have any input. Thank you all for your help. I am particularly interested in hearing if either of these machines have done well witch envelopes.

I have seen quite a few envelopes run with no problem the trick is on the smaller ones like com 10 you need to open the flaps and you need to do small lifts or they don't sit flat in the trays. I have seen some people push it and put in a big stack and had it work but usually the small lift works better.

 

[Cameron]

Are you sure you aren't secretly a service tech

Haha hell no.. I would pull my hair out. dealing with people like us yelling when machines go down!

 

[Baldbug]

We've had our C1085 about a year now. A few RIP problems to start with and plain sailing until this winter we have some static problems which have been resolved with new static tinsel added improved paper path, earthing straps fitted and a water conditioner added to the Humidifier Unit. We did have a laser fail this week but it was just replaced. We run 80gsm to 350gsm and duplex when possible. All up it is nice strong reliable CMYK digital press.

 

[jrsc]

My only experience with those two machines was that we looked into them when we got a new machine. We decided on a xerox 2100 over either of them which sounds like it would be a good fit for you also. We got 2 of them and run about 350k between the 2 of them. We see the tech 1-2 times per month and they are usually short 1-2 hour service calls since the way the machine is designed they replace parts instead of rebuilding them. We run the weight range you run with very little jamming. Usually the only time there is any jamming is when the feed rollers wear out but you just pop new ones in. I would say most days we don't see a single jam. Color is excellent. Registration is easy to get near perfect with the full width array but it does drift from day to day. It takes about 2 minutes to do an automated alignment update to bring it back so that is part of our normal procedure when we start a job. Envelopes also run very well. Regulars run great, but I do get some jamming on windows. The ricoh has a couple nice features like long sheets and clean and white toner even though the white isn't real useful being the last color down so it can't be an underbase. The xerox had more practical benefits while I didn't see anything special stand out on the konica.

 

[Puch]

The two machines are not directly comparable, for several reasons.

First, the Ricoh 7xxx can run longer sheets, like 330 x 660 mm if I remember right. This feature alone can open up a whole new market like landscape photobooks in A/3 format.

Next, the Ricoh 7xxx can have a fifth ink, which again, can open up a whole new niche of customers. I've seen incredible examples of metallic paper printed with opaque white here and there, then printed with CMYK, all in one go. Excellent for off-the-wall invitation cards, book covers, etc.

On the other hand, the KM C1085 is a very solid, but ordinary machine. Nothing unusual, just plain and simple solid performance, day after day.

I think the decision is mostly depends on what is the main application of your business? If you're a print shop on the main street, then go for the Ricoh. You will have more versatility, more added value, much better competitiveness. If you're attached to a commercial printer or looking for B2B jobs, then you might be better off with the KM's solid performance.