• I want to thank all the members that have upgraded your accounts. I truly appreciate your support of the site monetarily. Supporting the site keeps this site up and running as a lot of work daily goes on behind the scenes. Click to Support Signs101 ...

Vp540 vs RS640

kustom.printing

New Member
I need another printer to print banners while my VP540 prints labels.

Would you buy another VP540 or an RS640 (Cheaper by £3000) or xc 540 (I could have 2 RS640 for the price though) .

I really need the speed.

Opinions people ????
 

kustom.printing

New Member
What is the XC540 like on billboard banner, I hear it is 2 times as fast as my VP540i but is not as good quality on billboard settings (Banding).
 
Billboard setting on the xc-540 is good. If calibrated right its alot better than the competition I really dont think you can compare the vp,rs to the xc though just b/c of ink coverage 4color 4head machine, or 6color 6head machine, on 2 pass billboard mode with feed calibrated and heads working right you will be amazed at the xc I have timed it and gotten 326sqft. hr with VW.
 

kustom.printing

New Member
I would much rather have the XC540 but was told it was not as good on billboard as my vp540i.

Also is the XC540 2 times as fast as the VP540i on banner billboard.
 
Did you just say MUTOH lol go see your ink coverage and pass control then come and compare to SoljetIII and you will see why mutoh has 1 head and the roland has 6 of them. The kicker is that the mutoh uses more ink with canned profiles than the Roland. Time your mutoh valuejet even if its a 1608 and see the fastest you can get in a hour with a quality print and then, and only then can we talk.
 

Signs Express

New Member
What about one of the XJ Series printers? It would be a little less expensive that the XC-540 because it doesn't have the integrated cutter.
 

kustom.printing

New Member
The XJ printer is £2000 more, we don't really need any more width than for 4ft banners and the XC has print and cut.

Are main concerned was the billboard quality vs. the VP540i.
 

WDP

New Member
RS is a good option as a back up. XC no doubt is for serious contenders but aks your self do you need it.
 

mac_man_luke

New Member
We have an RS640 - its a very nice machine

We got an RS640 w/takeup + GX500 cutter for less than a VP540

Few pros inc being able to print and cut at the same time, the extra width has already been handy and i believe it can handle heavier rolls slightly easier.
 
A XJ is great but I would have to say what seperates the 2 rs and xj are the cost and usage. If you have a bunch of output and already have a print/cut machine I would go XJ 4 sure. Here's the kicker you all probably havent thought about is if you have a VP and then buy a RS or XJ then you have a job thats print/lam/cut YOU CANT PRINT W/CROPMARKS ON THE RS OR XJ AND TAKE OVER TOO THE VP TO READ CROPMARKS AND CUT. It just doesnt work I have been in that position with roland and it just doesnt work so you will have to buy a plotter to acomadate the print only rolands. When you say the XJ is 2 times faster than the RS I have seen those two next to each other and in standard mode priting a 8pass 720 print the XJ isnt twice as fast as the RS. Now in billboard mode maybe but take this with what its worth I dont believe that billboard mode is a useful production mode for any 54,64,or74inch printer just b/c its not made for "billboard" its not a billboard printer and the heads even with a fixed dot 540 or 360 mode looks arent going to be comprabile to what you are use to seeing in a standard mode on any of these printers.
 
I couldnt honestly tell you never seen the xc and vp both calibrated and printng billboard mode together. I can say it has to do with ink coverage so once again you got a 4 color VP with 4 heads that takes 4 cartridges. With the Xc you got 6 color with with 6 heads and what makes the biggest difference XC 12 CARTRIDGES dual channel inks. the VP just has a Y tube connector that splits a single cartridge channel into two lines on top of the head. that is restricting how much ink you can lay down per pass. Look at it this way too if you are dead set on Roland you get 2 year warranty. You get good support from Roland (I didnt say supplier). You get a RIP you already know and can control were as the others arent made strictly for that specific type of printer. Here is what I would do if you want highest speed best quality printer and you are weighing the differences between these 2 look at running the XC or XJ in 4 color mode it is possible to set one of these printers up 4 color. Check it out or ask roland.
 
I am 100% sure you can run the XC-540,or XJ's in cmykmc thats 4 color with a extra magenta and cyan channel. Not many people do it and its something to think about if your thinking of billboard mode and getting good coverage. Lets be real you wouldnt ever need 6color in a billboard printer.
 
Top