What is best Black for text?

[CliffSpielman]

Hi. I print color documents that are created in InDesign and either printed from InDesign, or more commonly from the packaged PDF. My goal is that the text is as black as black can be. Looking at the preflight for the the PDF's, the text CMYK is CMYK(0.0/0.0/0.0/1.0) which looks like all 0's except for 100% of the key value. Is this the right black for text? Or should I change the color in InDesign to a different black.

To me, when printed, the current CMYK looks black, not gray, but I've come across this topic online and with my content, can't take a chance that there is a better black out there for printing text.

 

[gordo]

Hi. I print color documents that are created in InDesign and either printed from InDesign, or more commonly from the packaged PDF. My goal is that the text is as black as black can be. Looking at the preflight for the the PDF's, the text CMYK is CMYK(0.0/0.0/0.0/1.0) which looks like all 0's except for 100% of the key value. Is this the right black for text? Or should I change the color in InDesign to a different black.

To me, when printed, the current CMYK looks black, not gray, but I've come across this topic online and with my content, can't take a chance that there is a better black out there for printing text.

Typically, if the area of black is about 1” square or greater then make it a rich black. If it’s smaller then 100% black is fine. The contrast between the black text and white paper will make it look as black as black can be - assuming the printer prints at standard solid ink densities (or greater).

 

[Joe]

For normal size text it should be 100% black as registration on press can be an issue if you make it more than 1 color. If you make the text with more than just black there is a good chance the software that your printer uses will just change it to black only. Or if it doesn't the prepress person probably will.

 

[scotts]

I'll second Gordo, and Joe.

And to add to Joe, not only the press software will change a "pack" black to just black, so will the workflow software in Prepress. These conditions will happen most of the time, if the settings are set that way. Which I would say a majority of the shops are set that way. I can there would only be a handful of cases, for special customers, that would not be done this way and keep the "pack" black text. Which pressman and plant managers hate.