Reputation and perception mostly! Like with cars, paying more doesn't necessarily buy you more but some brands seem to represent a greater status, etc. Perhaps a better comparison could have contrasted a Ford / Chevy type of engine to some kind of finicky sports car.

Overall I think the DA is a higher quality engine from a metallurgy, machining and support standpoint. Castings can be pretty nice on DLE engines these days so I'm not sure I'd say there is much difference there ... except perhaps for the alloys used. DLE machining seems quite adequate these days. Some DLE engines run better than some DA engines and some the other way around. Likewise some DA engines are real shakers ( I suspect higher effective compression) where their DLE counterpart runs quite smooth. Field manners are really pretty much the same and not unlike most of the better engines these days. Ignitions and carburetors often dictate how an engine will act at the field and well, both of these brands have very similar and well developed parts in this area. Actually I shouldn't even suggest one is better or worse than the other .... they are just different, kinda like comparing women. Perhaps personal attitude determines how a person gets along with a particular brand. If he thinks its junk it probably will be. If he thinks its the best engine brand on earth, the experience may reflect that.

Enough rambling ... not sure I answered the question.