Xerox 1000i - Assistance with flat and dull looking prints

Hi, me again needing some guidance. In general, our prints have always seemed a bit dull and flat, lacking pop and rich vibrancy. We've calibrated color, done all the maintenance routines in the PCUI, tried all different images settings and color profiles, fuser temps, etc... no major differences. We've been using the default 200 dots half toning but found that for some artwork, stochastic produces outstanding rich vibrant prints. However that only works with certain artwork. (Photographs mostly). Digital art is hit or miss... When its not good the colors are way way off despite trying to calibrate and adjust.

So we are stuck right now trying to print some booklets where either it's the right color but dull looking (using 300 dots rotated this time) or stochastic which looks amazing but colors are way off.

 

At a glance, It looks like a transfer voltage issue. Just to be clear, the purple-duller looking print has the correct color? However, lacks the shine you're looking for? And both prints came out of the same machine?
I'm sorry for all the questions, but you say photographic images look better than vector artwork? That makes me think it may have to do with color profile or rendering intent settings - but doesn't exactly explain the sheen/shine.
Image shine may simply be from not enough toner/ink on the sheet. The paper is an uncoated cover of some sort? Perhaps a gloss cover could get you the results you're looking for?

 

Ya I was thinking bias transfer as well. Going to play with that. Yes, it's the richness and shine that is missing and yes, both prints are the same exact printer and same artwork. Both prints are coated cardstock.

Im converting the PDF to GRACoL CMYK before adding to the Fiery but I was planning to try leaving it RGB and letting the Fiery convert to CMYK. Not sure if that would make a difference.

 

Modern day rendering intents do a decent job of converting. Just make sure it's set to Photographic (or Perceptual) if you're going from RGB to CMYK, and a Colorimetric Intent for CMYK to other CMYK spaces.
The transfer voltage or secondary bias shouldn't change that dramatically though. It will usually go up or down based on the weight of the stock, Sometimes turning up the secondary voltage can help with Linen/Laid or rough uncoated media. Coated stocks should print fine almost always, unless the paper weight is out of spec for the machine.

It still could be there's not enough toner going down on the correct color print. You may have to add more coverage. Say, if the purple is 75C 50M 10K - Make it 90C 70M 20K - and try to get roughly the same Hue with greater Saturation.

Also, Maybe try printing the same file on coated text, like 80# gloss text or 100# Gloss text and see what happens. If the total coverage or TAC isnt around 200 or more, it's the media coming through that's going to make the shine difference.