Epson 9900 Nozzle problems

[J Mets]

Coming here from Luminous Landscapes. I hear this is where the printing pros hang out. I'm looking for a printer diagnosis based, if possible, from nozzle check patterns. I'm attaching a photo of two from dates one month apart.
As you can see, the yellow and LLK are getting worse. These two colors are a 'color pair' and share a capping station and a damper. (Dampers on the Epson x900 handle two colors each.)
In the Epson field manual, it states that any problem with a 'color pair' has to have something to do with the capping station. The color pair rests on the same 'cap'. Contrary to that, on the website AmericanInkjetSystems, it states, specifically with the x900 series, that if a color starts misfiring in the middle and starts spreading outwards, it's a bad head.
That is exactly what these two colors are doing.
Any thoughts? Bad Head? Capping Station? Circuit board, ribbon cable?

 

[J Hill Designs]

I always start with capping/dampers since they are more of a consumable than heads and work your way up the line of expense



welcome from cali

 

[J Mets]

Thanks for the reply. That makes sense and I follow the logic. But with a capping station at $250, and the damper assembly at $180, I hate to start down that road if it's new printhead that's needed. If it is a new printhead that's needed, it's time for a Canon ipf 8400. With rebate and subtracting for the included full inkset - it's under $2,000. A good deal less that replacing a print head on the epson.
I was kind of hoping for (may not be possible) an 'ah-ha' moment. Seeing the nozzle check and going, "Ah-ha! Circuit board b needs to be replaced," or something like that.

 

[J Hill Designs]

honestly if a new printer is less than a new head, save the frustrations and grab it

 

[J Mets]

You're absolutely right about the new printer vs new print head. No question there. I was just hoping for the third option of a definitive (or almost definitive) cause for the symptom. "Missing middle of a color pair nozzle check pattern means you need such and such." That may not be possible, and if it isn't, it is time for a new printer.