Let us be scientific about this issue.

1) What file types have you been printing? - Finale .musx documents? - PDF files? - or?

In the case of PDF files,

- how were the PDF files created? (- exported from Finale’s Graphics Tool? - “Printed” to PDF? - or?)

- with what program did you print the PDF files? (- Adobe Reader? - Preview? - or?)

I prefer .musx documents, pdf shrinks the output a bit.

I tried to print the same page using .pdf created in print dialog box (Save as pdf) and the output is the same, but now I see that

it is not possible to choose Best in Print/Media & Quality/ in Preview either, so it seems to be some general problem with HP...

You have not tried exporting as PDF from Finale’s Graphics Tool?

>I prefer .musx documents, pdf shrinks the output a bit<

You should have options to Fill paper, Print entire Image and Scale Image size with .pdf files. Each option will size the output differently — I use them all the time with my HP and Brother printers. With Finale 27, you should be able to print true black pdf files from the print dialogue on a Mac as well as Graphics/Export as pdf. This was not true with 25–26.

With most HP printers, Best is a color setting while Text is true Black only. I use the Text setting with mine and get excellent results. The Brother is far more economical but the HP gives more saturated blacks.

Thank you for explaining, I will try to switch to saving as .pdf and printing using colour settings. But I am a bit sceptical since I already tried to print .pdf file of the same page as well as used Color as Preset - which does not allow Best as an option either and the result was almost the same and definitely not the one I remember from the time the printer was new.

I do not have Text option at all and I need to print first page in color mode, since my logo is blue and yellow.

Thank you Mike for your time and effort.

There is a HP Doctor d/l that I use but it is Windows. I don't know if there is a Mac equivalent. It seems the HP printer gets its brain out of whack after a time. The HP Dr fixes it. I currently use three printers. A Brother, a Canon ad the HP Officejet Pro 7740. All large format printers that do an amazing job on music. The first two work flawlessly. The HP however does/did not but  after I run the HP Dr it has been great.

I, first, contacted HP.  The tech said a re-install would fix it but he did not explain why it screws up. Or, he advised me to get the HP Dr. I imagine that is what the HP Dr does.

On a Mac, HP drivers are maintained by the OS since MacOS 10.6. Any questions, HP tells you to contact Apple and Apple says to contact HP. Fun huh?

I've consulted to Apple a few times over the years, always on print and scan issues. My HP is an inkjet, not a laser but I know where some of the settings are hidden. I'll put up some screen shots.

I print all my scores on 9x12 concert size. The HP generally refuses to print on the odd size. The other two print it without issue.

>I print all my scores on 9x12 concert size. The HP generally refuses to print on the odd size. <

Do you have an HP Laser printer attached to a Mac?

No I have a HP Officejet Pro 7740.  I am on Windows 10.  Compared to the Brother or the Canon printer, the HP is way much more difficult to use unless you just do 8 1/2x11 or 8 1/2x14. I mean, once HP Dr was run on it, before it acted up even with those sizesas defaults. The biggest was it went to sleep and put itself off-line. The only way to wake it up was to turn it off and back on.

Now after HP Dr., it has been working well except not wanting to print 9x12. I suspect if I fooled around with it long enough I could get it to print 9x12 but the Brother does it without issue.