I'm surprised there hasn't been more discussion of the new DocuColor 252/260 replacements, the Color 550/560. There was quite a bit of interest in them BEFORE they were released, and now that they're out, nothing...
Perhaps because they're a bit lackluster...? Although I'm sure they're very good machines, especially considering what they are replacing (and are based on) are very solid, but I was a little disappointed once I saw them. (And not just with the absurd color scheme!)
Basically, they are nothing more than the 252 and 260 they replace, but with LOWER B&W speeds and EA-Eco toner. That's really it, from what I see, other than they aforementioned (absurd) cosmetic changes.
On the accessory side of things they do connect to the Dual Oversize HCF which is nice, but their new cosmetics broke the streamlined look of everything by not sharing the same bullnose look of the feeders and finishers like the 700, the 4112/4127 and the Nuveras.
The cosmetic changes actually seem more like a ploy to make them seem like different machines than the recently refreshed WorkCentre 77xx series.
I was hoping they would differentiate with actual capabilities and not just plastic. I was hoping that a Digital Color Press 500 and DCP 600 would be joining the DCP 700 we already have. But although the 550/560 use the newer EA-Eco toner, they have NONE of the 700's other mechanical enhancements and are identical, inside, to the old 252/260.
It's a shame when a company allows their marketing department to grow too powerful and it starts exerting too much influence of the direction of products.
Still, at least the products they are replacing are solid. Not perfect, but very solid. So as long as the growing pains with EA-Eco have been worked out, the 550/560 should be solid as well, albeit boring.
Perhaps because they're a bit lackluster...? Although I'm sure they're very good machines, especially considering what they are replacing (and are based on) are very solid, but I was a little disappointed once I saw them. (And not just with the absurd color scheme!)
Basically, they are nothing more than the 252 and 260 they replace, but with LOWER B&W speeds and EA-Eco toner. That's really it, from what I see, other than they aforementioned (absurd) cosmetic changes.
On the accessory side of things they do connect to the Dual Oversize HCF which is nice, but their new cosmetics broke the streamlined look of everything by not sharing the same bullnose look of the feeders and finishers like the 700, the 4112/4127 and the Nuveras.
The cosmetic changes actually seem more like a ploy to make them seem like different machines than the recently refreshed WorkCentre 77xx series.
I was hoping they would differentiate with actual capabilities and not just plastic. I was hoping that a Digital Color Press 500 and DCP 600 would be joining the DCP 700 we already have. But although the 550/560 use the newer EA-Eco toner, they have NONE of the 700's other mechanical enhancements and are identical, inside, to the old 252/260.
It's a shame when a company allows their marketing department to grow too powerful and it starts exerting too much influence of the direction of products.
Still, at least the products they are replacing are solid. Not perfect, but very solid. So as long as the growing pains with EA-Eco have been worked out, the 550/560 should be solid as well, albeit boring.
