It's too easy to take cheap shots at price in this hobby. The standard markup in my previous industry (telecom electronics) is 5 or 6 times the parts cost. It's certainly not hard to see how a unit like that could accumulate $1500 in parts costs. It's also aimed unabashedly at the luxo segment of the market, and its internal design is apparently much more complex than a NOH. There are people who need more switching flexibility and wouldn't consider a $1500 TVC. They need transformers too, and this will give it to them.
For us hair-shirt, less-is-more types, the price difference will buy a whole bunch of new music.