So problem is resolved..at least partially by 1) changing ink and 2) nozzle clearning. What is curious for me (and exasperating) is the process that took me there.
I consulted Epson who in addition to providing a few useless (and unlikely) suggestions (check your USB cable, print with Windows Photoview...with or without color management I asked..the guy did not seem to know what I meant) suggested cleaning my nozzles. I told him that it was not necessary since the AutoClearn function tests whether this is necessary or not and that the autoclear showed everything was ok. (He did not seem to be aware of the auto clean process and told me to do it anyway. I did the nozzle check everything was fine.)
I decided to print a calibration target for which I have a comparison print. Predictably most colors were ok, except deep blues which were too purple. The printer driver told me I was running low in two colors (light light black and light cyan) and I had assumed that even if I was running low I should be getting the right pigments in the right proportions until the driver told me the cartridges were in fact empty. Well..maybe not.
I replaced that cartridges in question and did another test print. Disaster! Blues were ok but purple (which I had had too much of) and red, among other colors, were gone. The whole result was worse. After a few other test prints, with color management off and on, which were pretty consistent, I checked the nozzle patern again. This time the nozzles were blocked and I needed to clean twice. After that the test print was ok...though the clearning process had pretty much emptied all the other inks.
So my question is this (sorry for being so long winded, I am getting to the point).. Does it make sense that the nozzles need clearning after inserting brand new cartridges, but not before. Is it possible that when a cartridge is running low (but not empty) that I am not getting the right amount of pigment?
Needless to say figuring this out has used a lot of very expensive pigment.