Canson ARCHES 88 - "Laid" lines in surface

[datro]

I've finally gotten around to testing and profiling the Canson ARCHES 88 for my P9000 printer.  While testing for the best reference Media Type to use before making the profile targets (by the way, the recommended Velvet Fine Art is definitely NOT the best media type), I have noticed a pattern of close evenly spaced indentation lines running vertically on the surface of the entire blank sheet of 8.5 x 11 paper.  It is especially noticeable if using a loupe to examine the surface texture.  It looks somewhat like something has mechanically pressed into the paper during manufacture.

A bit of research suggests that these could be what are known as "laid" lines that are an artifact of mould-made papers (as opposed to "wove surface" type papers).  If these are in fact laid lines, I'm baffled as to how Canson can call this paper "Extra Smooth".  Without the lines, the surface would be extra smooth (even smoother than Rag Photographique), but these lines seems to produce a surface that is NOT extra smooth when ink is put on the paper, especially blacks and darker colors.

Is anyone else seeing this?  I was wondering if I had a bad batch (a 10-sheet pack), but then I looked at the two ARCHES 88 sheets in my Canson ARCHES "Discovery Pack" and they have the same laid lines.  I would like to make this paper work since it has a really good Dmax, but these lines are a concern.

Dave

Edit:  Modified title

[Richard.Wills]

Smallest prints I tend to run are 10x8, and most in the 20"+ size.

Never noticed it not being a smooth paper, and nor have any of my customers (Arches88 is my best selling, go to matt paper).

I view prints as prints, not subjects for magnified inspection.

Prints in Leica, NPG, RA, Saatchi, Tate, V&A, ...

[kers]

+1 never noticed any lines...

[dgberg]

I will look at mine today.
Where and how are you seeing them after printing?
We all look close for imperfections but proper viewing distance is what matters.

[datro]

OK, yes, fine art prints are ultimately not for examination under a loupe...I'm fully onboard with that sentiment.  And I'm not trying to denigrate this paper, so please don't take offense if it is your favorite and most popular paper. It could very well become my favorite paper and my clients' as well.  I'm only trying to understand what I'm seeing as I prepare to make my profile.

@dgberg - I first noticed the lines when examining the Onsight_Media_Selection.tif image which I use to help determine the best Media Type to use for setting up a Custom Paper on my P9000.  For judging best dot smoothness and sharpness, I use a Peak 8x loupe to examine various parts of the printed image.  The lines are most visible in pure black and darker colors, but you can also see the lines with the loupe on paper white with no ink.  The lines run parallel to the 11" side of a 8.5 x 11 sheet.

See the attached images. These were simple shots taken with my phone camera through the loupe.  The first is a black (0,0,0) patch, the second is paper base (no ink).

I will grant that these lines probably have zero effect on overall normal visual appearance of a print, but in regards to profiling I'm not sure.  I could see how they might affect measured reflectance as seen by a spectrophotometer.  Is that getting too much in the weeds?  Maybe.  But I like to understand things, and I'm just looking for confirmation that my paper samples are not somehow defective compared to what others have.

[dgberg]

Maybe just part of the paper making process.

[Alan Goldhammer]

I just bought a starter 10 pack of this paper and the pages all look fine, no lines at all.