I’m sure most Dorico users have a lot more large format conductor score printing experience than I do as I have none. I’ve done a lot of printer exploration and am a bit baffled.
Question 1: what US large format printers (11 x 17 – US tabloid sized paper) have you had success using? I’m after:
Automatic duplexing at the large format size
Around a 14 - 15 pages per minute print rate
WiFi connectivity
Affordable operation and maintenance costs
Works with a Mac w/o hassle
Question 2: What binding solution/system do you use and like?
Wire/coil binding seems to be recommended but the 11x17 size seems a challenge
It’s discontinued, but I use a Ricoh Aficio SP 6330n with the duplex module. Since I have it set up in another room from my computer, I used an old Apple AirPort Express as a wireless print server for years, but now have it plugged into a networked 2014 Mac mini that is functioning as a wireless print server / Roon core / emergency Finale machine since it’s running 12.7.6. I wouldn’t consider WiFi connectivity a deal breaker though, since it’s so easy to set up to use with a wireless print server.
My standard paper size is 9.5x12.5 so it works great with that. For 11x14 landscape jazz scores, I bind them myself with a ring binder on the 11" side, but I just send out 11x17 to be handled by a professional shop that is used to printing 11x17 music scores.
I won’t be able to answer all your questions, but I think the printer we own might be worth a closer look. It’s an Epson EcoTank ET-M16600, which has low operation and maintenance costs due to it’s concept, does duplex (although I haven’t checked yet if at this size, official documentation isn’t quite clear about this) and has WiFi.
Although we got it partly for its large format capabilities, I have not made use of them yet. I can check if it can print an A3 page in duplex mode though, but I cannot promise any in-depth speed tests. (EDIT: 14 to 15 large format pages per minute does seem like a fairly high standard to me tbh. In duplex mode, I cannot imagine that any printer available to regular consumers will be up to this, as duplex usually requires the machine to flip each sheet within itself, which takes quite some time.) And I will not be able to verify its MacOS functionality, as we are using Windows.
Anyway, according to the manual it should be able to house 11"x17" paper in one of its cassettes, and there is always the paper tray for special formats.
