Final answer:
Black holes in high-mass X-ray binaries can be significantly more massive than those in low-mass X-ray binaries, with masses typically ranging from 10 to 15 times that of our Sun, compared to 4 to 8 times the mass of the Sun for low-mass binaries.
Step-by-step explanation:
The mass difference between a black hole in a high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB) and a low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB) can be quite significant. Black holes in HMXB systems typically have masses ranging from about 10 to 15 times the mass of the Sun (Msun), whereas those in LMXB systems are often closer to 4 to 8 times the mass of the Sun.
To provide context, one observed case in gravitational wave astronomy involved merging black holes with masses of 14 and 8 Msun. These masses are comparable to those found in X-ray binary systems. The best evidence for stellar-mass black holes comes from observing binary star systems where the black hole is not visible, but the associate flickering X-ray emission suggests the presence of an accretion disk around a massive object.
Studying these systems requires sophisticated X-ray telescopes in space due to X-rays not penetrating Earth's atmosphere and the complex calculations needed to deduce the properties of these distant objects.