I'm very happy with my 38" drum sander. I knew what I was getting and use it accordingly. I do one project at a time with little or no production needs. I really wanted the SCM Sandya 1 widebelt sander, but it was $13K more at that time, I simply had better ways to allocate those funds in the shop. A drum sander requires more patience and less aggression, but it gets the job done very nicely. Keep the paper clean, which I do with every 5th pass or so, and it does a great job. Years ago I discovered spent silicone tubes were the best for this task. Let them dry out, and the solidified cylinder is awesome on sandpaper for removing the debris, and they last longer than those crepe blocks, at half the cost.
It is easier to be imperfect and plan for it, than to try to be perfect and swear at it.