Fixing systems, printing apparatuses and methods for fixing marking material to a substrate are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the fixing systems includes a pre-heating device for pre-heating a substrate and marking material disposed on a surface of the substrate; a fixing device disposed downstream from the pre-heating device, the fixing device including fixing members which oppose each other and form a fixing nip; and a first thermal energy source for heating at least one of the fixing members; wherein the fixing members apply pressure and thermal energy to the pre-heated substrate and marking material at the fixing nip to fix the toner to the substrate; and a conditioning device positioned (a) upstream from the pre-heating device, (b) between the pre-heating device and the fixing device, or (c) downstream from the fixing device. The conditioning device includes conditioning members which oppose each other and form a conditioning nip. The conditioning device does not include a thermal energy source that actively heats the conditioning members.