I have an epson 9800 44" wide printer that I picked up cheap on Kijiji years ago.
The paper prints ( epson enhanced matte) have a beautiful velvety feel to them and everything looks gorgeous...but ya can't just hang paper ( can you ? lol)
Ive struggled to find a way to present the prints that retains the velvety surface but they are too vulnerable and need to be mounted and protected.
The canvas prints ( epson exhibition matte) are also beautiful...especially large ones ( 36x60) but I find the nature of canvas itself somewhat problematic.
Canvas is too associated with traditional painting and it kind of feels like a " fake painting" ...like its trying to pretend to be a real painting.
The metal prints on the other hand have a life of their own. They become an object in and of themselves which go beyond just being a "print"
I did both a metal print and face mount acrylic. They are both pretty slick. I actually love the matte velvety paper surface but high chroma and contrast images look amazing on metal.
I find the metal more visceral and immediate than the plexi....like looking at an enamel surface. Its so smooth it almost looks like a pool of water.
The metal prints Im using are actually printed on a transfer paper with dye sublimation inks and then transferred to a thin sheet of aluminum ( not di bond) using a heat press.
Nice video in the link below...the surface can be high gloss or a satin white finish ( or the aluminum surface itself but that only works for certain kind of images)
The acrylic is more expensive and heavier because there is more process and materials. It is printed on metallic paper ( optional) which gives it a surreal kind of 3d appearance then face mounted to a sheet of plexi. Di bond or a cheaper material is used as a backer. The edge is quite nice in profile...but It feels more like looking at a photo through glass to me...I think I prefer the metal.
Metal process
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMKOb4GOJ1AMetal vs Acrylic face mount
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2-V1SwAl50probably TMI but thats what Ive been figuring out lately...hope its helpful...