# Virtuoso SG400 Ink - Dull colors when printed



## kittykat (Jul 31, 2017)

Hi everyone! I just bought a Virtuoso SG400. 
I am using ink that I bought from Ebay. It is printing but the colors are dull colors. Not bright or vibrant when compared to my $30 inkjet printer from Canon.
Can anyone share what has worked for them to get matching color profiles, to fix the colors and make them vivid?

Thank you


The ink that I purchased: 
(SUBLIMATION INK REFILLABLE CARTRIDGES FOR SAWGRASS SG400 SG800 VIRTUOSO PRINTERS)


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

Are you dye subbing?
What happened to the Canon?
Dyesub prints look faded and misty until they are heat applied to a substrate.
Your asking for problems if you aren't using Sawgrass ink in a Sawgrass printer.


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## kittykat (Jul 31, 2017)

Dekzion said:


> Are you dye subbing?
> What happened to the Canon?
> Dyesub prints look faded and misty until they are heat applied to a substrate.
> Your asking for problems if you aren't using Sawgrass ink in a Sawgrass printer.



Yes, I am dye subbing. I did my first heat transfer last night and I didn't realize the colors would be vibrant once heat transferred 

Now I am left with the only problem of color matching. I use a Mac, and tried to adjust some settings in Illustrator, but it did not make it match. I'd say the colors are off by 20-30%.
Problems being the color matching?
I am guessing the only way for colors to match is by using Sawgrass ink?


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## mfatty500 (Jan 18, 2010)

Why are you not using Sawgrass inks??


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## STPG Press (Jul 6, 2015)

I can answer that one... 

Because Sawgrass Inks are grossly overpriced. After my SG400 inks emptied, it was cheaper for me to buy an Epson WF-7110 which is 13x19" and a full set of Cobra Ink with refillable cartridges for way less than just a refill of Sawgrass ink.

Maybe that's not why OP did, but it's a really good guess.





mfatty500 said:


> Why are you not using Sawgrass inks??


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## kittykat (Jul 31, 2017)

STPG Press said:


> I can answer that one...
> 
> Because Sawgrass Inks are grossly overpriced. After my SG400 inks emptied, it was cheaper for me to buy an Epson WF-7110 which is 13x19" and a full set of Cobra Ink with refillable cartridges for way less than just a refill of Sawgrass ink.
> 
> Maybe that's not why OP did, but it's a really good guess.


Exactly! Way overpriced!


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## kittykat (Jul 31, 2017)

Dekzion said:


> Are you dye subbing?
> What happened to the Canon?
> Dyesub prints look faded and misty until they are heat applied to a substrate.
> Your asking for problems if you aren't using Sawgrass ink in a Sawgrass printer.


Regarding the Canon, it's a cheap printer that I use for printing normal paperwork. I don't use it for dye sublimation, I'm not sure I even could, it is a Canon Pixma MG2520 All‑in‑One Inkjet Printer.


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## STPG Press (Jul 6, 2015)

To answer your original questions, when you print your transfers, they ARE supposed to look faded and off-color. The magic of heat and pressure makes them look good. If your colors are way off after pressing, and you're sure you got a good press...then it might be in your ICC profile, or your PowerDriver settings.

If you're still under warranty, or even if not, a call to SawGrass Tech Support might help you tremendously.

Good Luck.


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## mfatty500 (Jan 18, 2010)

I realize they are overpriced, but is the cost worth the headache? I just had to throw my Ricoh out after 6 years, got an epson with some damn ebay inks, (idon't by, i'm the producer) and they aren't worth a s**t. I'll take them sawgrass inks over the headache any day..


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## STPG Press (Jul 6, 2015)

Have you actually tried the Cobra Ink? There are many fine folks who would disagree with you if that is the ink you are referring too.


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## kittykat (Jul 31, 2017)

STPG Press said:


> To answer your original questions, when you print your transfers, they ARE supposed to look faded and off-color. The magic of heat and pressure makes them look good. If your colors are way off after pressing, and you're sure you got a good press...then it might be in your ICC profile, or your PowerDriver settings.
> 
> If you're still under warranty, or even if not, a call to SawGrass Tech Support might help you tremendously.
> 
> Good Luck.


Thank you! Does anyone know if PowerDriver works on Mac? Or Windows only?


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## kittykat (Jul 31, 2017)

mfatty500 said:


> I realize they are overpriced, but is the cost worth the headache? I just had to throw my Ricoh out after 6 years, got an epson with some damn ebay inks, (idon't by, i'm the producer) and they aren't worth a s**t. I'll take them sawgrass inks over the headache any day..


Was the headache the color profiles matching correctly?


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

kittykat said:


> Thank you! Does anyone know if PowerDriver works on Mac? Or Windows only?


On the Sawgrass MAC platform they use ICC profiles, on the PC platform they have Power Driver


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## kittykat (Jul 31, 2017)

mgparrish said:


> On the Sawgrass MAC platform they use ICC profiles, on the PC platform they have Power Driver


Thank you


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## kittykat (Jul 31, 2017)

As I see it, my options to fix the color matching are:

1. Keep messing around with the ICC profiles to see if I can get the color to match.

2. Buy Sawgrass ink.

3. Return everything and go a different route, with possibly an Epson printer and Cobra inks.


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

You see, that's why I appear lazy. there's just too much more important stuff to do when there is a simple solution to a problem. number 2 for me. or else you'll be going round and round for the next month.


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## kwalkerpro (Dec 6, 2019)

kittykat said:


> As I see it, my options to fix the color matching are:
> 
> 1. Keep messing around with the ICC profiles to see if I can get the color to match.
> 
> ...


I am using a NEW Sawgrass SG400 with the NEW Sublijet HD ink and the colors are dull and faded. We are pressing at Med pressure, 400 degree's for 35 seconds, have tried longer, 60 seconds and it became blurry and no darker, need help to get bright vibrant colors


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