L25500 vs L26500

[ProColorGraphics]

Anybody out there move up form the L25500 to the L26500? I am curious if it would be worth the upgrade? I did try searching for it and unless I typed in the wrong stuff, I didn't find anything.

Thanks!

 

[particleman]

It is a little faster, the ink is much more glossy. The take up system has been improved quite a bit and works better with things such as banner. It heats up faster (not much faster). It is also accepts a slightly larger roll (1 inch larger I think)? Overall it is a nice improvement on the original, I'm not sure if it is worth upgrading from what you have unless one of those things above is a big issue for you now.

 

[Robert Gruner]

Particleman nailed it. It can also print double sided banner.

 

[dypinc]

The L25500 can print two sided, but you have to manually register the sides. With the L26500 you can print a registration mark that the sensor with read to register the front and back.

 

[ProColorGraphics]

I know what the specs are between the 2, I am just wondering what peoples personal opinions are that have had the 2.

 

[mgieske]

I have both.
In addition to prev posts: less head strikes on 60" films due to the new tensioning bar, prints perf more reliably, lower temp is more friendly with some media that would sorta melt in the 25500. Thats what we noticed so far. The 25 is still a great machine and don't miss my Rolands at all.

 

[ProWraps]

we just hit over 100,000 sq/ft on our two l25500s. as soon as hp dumps the 26500s we will buy 3 of them to upgrade.

we sincerely hope that things such as cancelling prints, starting up, etc. etc. are much faster.

what makes the 25500 great is also its downfall. its so smart that it takes forever to do anything. again, cancelling prints, starting up, freezing up, etc.

 

[Vital Designs]

we just hit over 100,000 sq/ft on our two l25500s. as soon as hp dumps the 26500s we will buy 3 of them to upgrade.

we sincerely hope that things such as cancelling prints, starting up, etc. etc. are much faster.

what makes the 25500 great is also its downfall. its so smart that it takes forever to do anything. again, cancelling prints, starting up, freezing up, etc.

Nothing has changed in that dept. The 26500 still has all those temperamental tendancies. Our Roland and Mimaki take about 30 secs to a min. from power up to being ready to print. The HP sometimes takes up to 10 mins.

 

[Robert Gruner]

Vital Designs,

"Nothing has changed in that dept. The 26500 still has all those temperamental tendancies. Our Roland and Mimaki take about 30 secs to a min. from power up to being ready to print. The HP sometimes takes up to 10 mins. "

And I bet your Roland and Mimaki smell better too?

 

[HulkSmash]

The more, and more millage i put on my printers..
the more i'm starting to realize that these printers are meant to be thrown away after 3 years. They are work horses.. and will run 10 hours a day no problem..
but the small problems that are starting to get continually worse as it gets older.


I'd still buy them all over again.

 

[FS-Keith]

If I can get 3 years out of a 15k printer I would be overjoyed considering I was paying 5-6k a year in service contracts for my 9000. Just set up my 26500 today, the tech is about to leave. So far so good

 

[Suz]

we just hit over 100,000 sq/ft on our two l25500s. as soon as hp dumps the 26500s we will buy 3 of them to upgrade.

we sincerely hope that things such as cancelling prints, starting up, etc. etc. are much faster.

what makes the 25500 great is also its downfall. its so smart that it takes forever to do anything. again, cancelling prints, starting up, freezing up, etc.

Wow Chris!
Out of curiosity, how many cartridges of ink would that add up to? About 350? How many rolls of material? About 150?? I'm nowhere near that, at the rate I'm going it will take me 5x as long. I'm sure it will speed up, business and production. Have a lot of learning to do!

 

[chafro]

I have both L25500 and L26500.

I seen the new inks are easier to dry in some materials. Those material that in the edges of the prints didn't dry in the L25500, they do dry in the L26500 with the same profile. Specially on plastics like backlights, lexan, etc.

 

[PrintItBig]

I've read, albeit from only one source, that the new ink scratches more easily than the old. Maybe due to being more glossy? Can anyone confirm or deny that?

 

[chafro]

I havent seen that.

 

[Scotchbrite]

Wow Chris!
Out of curiosity, how many cartridges of ink would that add up to? About 350? How many rolls of material? About 150?? I'm nowhere near that, at the rate I'm going it will take me 5x as long. I'm sure it will speed up, business and production. Have a lot of learning to do!

We bought our first HP, a 26500, at the end of April. According to our usage stats we've used just under 31,000sq-ft of material in 24 weeks. Most of what we print on is 54"x50yd rolls so that's 45 rolls of material. That used approximately 25,100ml of ink or about 32 ink cartridges.

 

[ProColorGraphics]

I have both L25500 and L26500.

I seen the new inks are easier to dry in some materials. Those material that in the edges of the prints didn't dry in the L25500, they do dry in the L26500 with the same profile. Specially on plastics like backlights, lexan, etc.

Are there benefits each machine has? A.K.A., would it be worth having both for printing on certain materials?

 

[chafro]

They are very similar,, only difference i see the L26500 can print 2 sides and has a more glossy ink. And that the L26500 can hold heavier rolls.

I dont see the need to have both since I dont see any advantage on the L25500 over the L26500, the printer price would be the only one.

 

[ProColorGraphics]

I think I have decided that I am going to be adding a L26500 to my printer lineup! I will post how it goes and what I think of it when it happens!

 

[N.E.]

I think I have decided that I am going to be adding a L26500 to my printer lineup! I will post how it goes and what I think of it when it happens!

We've had one for year and haven't had a single problem. It's not as fast as I would like though. I recently printed 16, 53" x 50' tiles on window perf and even at 8 pass (4 pass wouldn't dry) it took about 2 hours per tile. Luckily I can trust it to run unattended so I was able to set up a tile before leaving for the day. On the HP 9000s it replaced I would have never been able to do that and I would have had to do lots of purging.