An improved damping system for continuous ink jet printers of the kind having: (i) a print head, including an ink cavity and an orifice plate coupled to the cavity, and (ii) an ink circulation system having an ink supply conduit to the print head cavity inlet and an ink return conduit coupled to the cavity outlet. The damping system reduces ink pressure transients within said print head means and includes: (i) a damping chamber for enclosing a gas-over-ink region that is coupled to the ink return conduit at a location proximate the print head and (ii) a printer subsystem for periodically introducing gas into said ink return conduit upstream of the damper chamber.