These forums have been quite an education in paper for me. While much appreciated, it hasn't been a cheap journey. Being somewhat "in the know" now, I'm really surprised by how many people appear to prefer stocks like EEF, Gold Fiber Silk and / or Harman Gloss in comparison to Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Pearl.
Here is a cotton paper with incredible sharpness, great detail, great density, bright whites and no obas whatsoever. If the stock were too warm, dull or flat I'd consider settling for Gold Fiber Silk but why on earth would an archival, fine art printer want to do this when a performer like Photo Rag Pearl is out there? What's the point of oba's and baryta when Hahnemuhle looks as good or better without it?
In my opinion, Photo Rag Pearl is the greatest value and quality among papers in it's class; hands down. The question at this point is, what stock has or will have the same specifications with about half the gloss?