Unfortunately, I've never been able to afford a full DW kit. I've only admired them from afar, and played them on many handfuls of occasions by way of friend's kits and music stores.
The DW Collector's Series is their "flagship" line of course and is available in really in configuration of sizes you could dream up, with the option of all maple shells versus all birch shells, a huge variety of finishes from laquers, to satin oil, 'finishply' wrapped finishes, and even graphics, and a choice of chrome hardware or gold.
The set I played most recently was a Collector's 5 piece in a fairly standard configuration: 22x18 Bass Drum, toms in 10x9, 12x10, and 14x12, and a steel 14x6 snare. They had chrome hardware, and featured 'finishply' wrap in Silver Sparkle.
Sitting down at the kit, I noticed the 14" floor tom was supported by legs rather than a RIMS hanging mount which I'm used to seeing on DW kits for toms this small. I prefer for the toms to be mounted off cymbal stands because it prevents it from "creeping" around when playing aggressively like a leg supported tom would do.
Launching into playing, I was instantly reminded of what makes DW such a leader in drummaking. A deep, full, but punchy bass drum sound from the lightly muffled 22" drum filled the room. The maple-shelled toms thankfully, were tuned fairly well and I was welcomed with crisp attack with moderate sustain, very balanced between attack and sustain. DW drums always seem to be very balanced. They are never so lively to my ears that they have to be muffled.
If anything, DW is making even better and better drums these days. I've played Collector's drums before, and if anything the low-end response is becoming even more present- probably thanks to innovations like VLT or Vertical Low Timbre Technology where the plies of the shell are laminated diagonally, avoiding horzontal plies which increase shell tension and raise the pitch. Whatever they are doing, it works. I don't think I've ever gotten such a low fundamental tone from 10" and 12" toms without tuning the heads quite low as I did playing one of the new Collector's kits.
As far as value for the price- when no one else can match what the DWs do tonally, or aesthetically then its hard to compare it with other drummakers. I was a bit put off by the 3400.00 price tag, but this was for the full kit with hardware, not just shells. The 4-piece of Bass and Toms would probably have run 1800 or more. Can you get a drumset cheaper? Most definitely. Are you going to get the quality, tone, projection, and options available in the Collector's Series? No. If you are seriously considering purchasing drums that are on this level, then you already know what I know, and your opinion on value counts more than mine.