Xerox Phaser 7800 or Oki C941?

[PrintMe]

Trying to decide on either a used Xerox Phaser 7800 or Oki C941 for small runs of same-day flyers, brochures and postcards for clients. Everything else goes to trade printer.

Both can do around 350gsm maximum. Xerox Phaser seems to have the edge in terms of print quality (2400 x 1200 vs 1200 x 1200 for the Oki) and colour (Pantone matching) - but this could be good marketing. Where the Oki has a straight paper path, white and clear toner capability which would be nice to have and from what I can make out cheaper consumables than the Xerox.

Any real world experiences with these machines or anybody been faced with the same decision and have feedback on which way they went and why?

Looking at them closely they could even be the same print engine (being LED) with different mechanicals and software.

 

[OkiTech]

Hi. biggest disadvantage of phaser 7800 is "S" like paper path, any cardstock printed will never lay flat and will create nightmare in the postpress - cutting, scoring, etc. Generally xerox prints nicer - more vibrant colors but leaves exit rollers marks/imperfections on high density dark solids. Oki is more like "out of offset" print. If you would consider previous generation of oki - no white color option, let me know, I have a Xante printer with under 10k prints and bunch of tricks how to run it lean and affordable with oem supplies.
Btw not the same print engine, the only xerox that is more or less the same to oki is phaser 7400, the phaser 7500/7800 are completely different from oki, yes LED but thats where it starts and ends.

 

[PrintMe]

What does 'out of offset' mean?

 

[OkiTech]

More calm, natural colors. As Okis toner does not have as much wax in its formula.

 

[PrintMe]

Would it be worth owning both if picked up cheaply enough? Xerox Phaser 7800 for flyers and high end output and Oki for the postcard/card stock jobs and white toner application?

 

[OkiTech]

You're the only one that can answer this question.. Maintain 2 printers (x2 $$$), some things will go bad periodically regardless of use, carry 2 lines of extra toners, fusers, drums...so I dont know.. Besides xerox does not prints straight, on 12x18 there will be a 2mm scew on longer side no matter what you do, a double sided print will look like an X if held against the light while OKI registration is pretty much dead on. I an talking about previous generation like Pro900dp series, dont have experience running 941

 

[PrintMe]

I owned the Xerox 7760 (model before 7800) and stew was terrible. Hoping they had fixed with the 7800, but if that's not the case then the 7800 is a non starter. As wasted so much time trying to get two sided to line up.

 

[OkiTech]

No, they did not fix it.

 

[PrintMe]

No, they did not fix it.

Leaning back towards the Xerox Phaser 7800 as colours and graphic/photo output from the machine are much better than the Oki when comparing prints side by side.

 

[Josephrr]

The Xerox 7800 is the biggest toner user we have ever owned! You will exceed the cost of the printer in the first year with toner usage.
We were "lucky" to get 2500-2500 pages out of a toner cartridge with 60% coverage.
Take a look at the Xerox C60 - it is a $20K printer but prints at 2400x2400 and the toner usage is far less then the Xerox 7800 - if you owned a 7800 the toner usage in the first year would make up the difference to go to the Xerox C60

 

[OkiTech]

The Xerox 7800 is the biggest toner user we have ever owned! You will exceed the cost of the printer in the first year with toner usage.
We were "lucky" to get 2500-2500 pages out of a toner cartridge with 60% coverage.
Take a look at the Xerox C60 - it is a $20K printer but prints at 2400x2400 and the toner usage is far less then the Xerox 7800 - if you owned a 7800 the toner usage in the first year would make up the difference to go to the Xerox C60

Well, if they advertise toner yield 15,000 pages at 5% covarege, it is about right that you'd get about 3000 pages with 60% coverage, no shocker there. Even with bigger and more expencive printer, manufacturers still state the toner yield at 5% coverage so even bigger toner bottle advertized at, lets say 30,000 pages, will give 6-7k with 60% coverage. Only logical. Problem, in my opnion is Xerox itself being synonym to rip-off, outrageously priced supplies and parts as well as service calls if you are non contract customer. But they print quality is so nice for a small printer.
To OP, if you go with Xerox phaser 7800 anyway, I will point you in the direction how to use genuine toners and save a ton on that, like a half the advertised price.. So let me know.

 

[Niels Petersen]

Well, if they advertise toner yield 15,000 pages at 5% covarege, it is about right that you'd get about 3000 pages with 60% coverage, no shocker there. Even with bigger and more expencive printer, manufacturers still state the toner yield at 5% coverage so even bigger toner bottle advertized at, lets say 30,000 pages, will give 6-7k with 60% coverage. Only logical. Problem, in my opnion is Xerox itself being synonym to rip-off, outrageously priced supplies and parts as well as service calls if you are non contract customer. But they print quality is so nice for a small printer.
To OP, if you go with Xerox phaser 7800 anyway, I will point you in the direction how to use genuine toners and save a ton on that, like a half the advertised price.. So let me know.

We just bought one, excited, any recommendations or supplies, parts, maintenance, calibration, etc?

 

[OkiTech]

Which one did you buy?

 

[Niels Petersen]

Sorry, should have specified. Phaser 7800dx w/ 70k impressions.

 

[Mars]

To OP, if you go with Xerox phaser 7800 anyway, I will point you in the direction how to use genuine toners and save a ton on that, like a half the advertised price.. So let me know.

I've been using a Phaser 7800 for several years, and I'd definitely be interested in knowing...

 

[OkiTech]

The gloss and quality of xerox is superb. I am happy that you happy with your phaser'7800.
Things that you did not experience yet:
Good luck cutting a stack of 100-200 sheets of 12pt gloss out of phaser 7800/7500/7760 etc. They will never lay flat after going trough 2x 90 degree turns in the printer, and will, likely, wound up to be different size. Also whenever you need a Developer material or unit to be replaced - it is a big deal with tech on site @ 3x price=xerox price, also it is not uncommon for some debris to fall in to Xerox DV unit, get stuck under DV doctor blade and affect print quality - repair requires disassemble, removal of DV Unit, disassemble till you fish out whatever it is blocking developer brush.
Those issues Oki dont normally have. Cardstock can be fed sraight trough oki and with replacement of imaging unit you get new drum and developing section

 

[Biggs]

I'm not much of a Xerox fan, but i may have to lean that way as well. Every Okie i've used has had great productivity, but forever reason, overtone magenta horribly.
Oki says it's a humidity issue, but i've operated several devices between 3 employers, all in different environments, and all suffered the same issue. Granted profoundly worse during the colder months, but no matter how much moisture we put in the air, they issue would not yield.

 

[tanvt]

I been faced same problem. I had Konica Milnota C3085 printer. But some time i have custom want to print the labels or card with white color, so i want looking which machine have white color and not too expensive. Hope some one have exprience about that can let me know. Thanks a lot!