The way they sound. One of the things to consider is the system and the room. It is likely that a person owning a $1500 item may not have the rest of the pieces and a room that will let the differences be heard. Now go the other way. A person who has a setup that includes a 10k-25k player would likely hear the difference if a swap out to the lower cost one was made.
What Sonically is the Difference between a $1,500 CD Player and a $10K-$25K One?
I realize opinions may vary, but if I could give an example of two CD players perhaps someone can give me their thoughts on the cost benefits of either one? What would be the difference in your opinion between say a Cambridge Audio Azur 851C CD Player and the Gryphon Scorpio S CD Player? And are the difference truly audible or more technical and rather indiscernible through human hearing?
In general, what makes a CD player (other than build components) 10x more costly than a decently built one other than features?
In general, what makes a CD player (other than build components) 10x more costly than a decently built one other than features?