The detail, imaging, and sound-staging are accurate and bring your headphones the neutral platform they need in order to perform the way their engineers intended. The DAC is the high point of this product. The amp is great but there are better options for sure. But for anyone who wants this system alone, then so be it; you'll be very pleased.
 
What was I looking for?
I wanted a DAC with the ability to run balanced and not have to kill my wallet. So I looked around and found some good insight around the forum and went with the DC-1. This is an affordable choice for what I was looking for and does not leave me wanting for more...but then again, we are talking about a hobby, where "it" is never enough. 
 
I have paired this DAC with the O2, Bravo Ocean, Little Dot MKII, Stax 252s, and the NuForce HA-200...All showed improvements against the ODAC and SMSL Sanskrit 6th edition. The Emotiva sounded airier and a feeling of expansiveness hit me immediately, as if I could reach further into the music. Also, there were nuances I could hear in songs that I had not noticed before. Instruments sounded more detailed. Of course, I have not heard the more hi-end DACs but I was very impressed and hope all high-end DACs share this kind of quality. My odac and smsl are great and I still use them because they pair well with my amps but I am excited with how well the Emotiva deals with music. It delivers.

Almost 2 months with these gems. I simply love these IEMs. I paired them against my Shure SE215 and the Havi B3 Pro 1 and I briefly pit them against the UE700s and Klipsch S4II. I am definitely no authority when it comes to SQ lingo or by no means an audiophile but I will let you know my experience so far. (I mostly used my Fiio e11 amp w/ Ipod touch 4th gen for testing these).
 
Vocals: Good forward presence with both male and female but nothing like what the Havi B3 produces. They are clearer then the SE215s on many different type of tracks.
 
Highs: The treble ranges are well pronounced but at higher volumes, they tend to be harsh (more so with classic rock) and depending on the song they can be sibilant.
 
Mids: These shine in the mids. With heavy or light rock tracks, the guitars are neatly placed (imaging), although the detail graces subtley, the mids stand out on the TTPOD.
 
Lows: I have to say these shine as far as the resonating presence is concerned, for the price range. EDM brought the sub-woofer out on these; 808s sound exciting for such little guys. They are dual drivers so I am not surprised. I wouldn't call them bass head though.
 
Soundstage: It's more spacious than the SE215s but not nearly as airy or detailed as the Havi B3s. It is nice none the less.
 
Sound Quality: For my general use IEM I go to these. To me, they sound full, maybe because they are the Enhanced version. The bass resonates without bringing the "muddy" factor in too heavily.
 
When amping, you will hear some white noise or hissing but it is not overbearing. It seems to go away when music is playing. That is the unfortunate thing about the low impedance and amp but it sounds great when amped through my Fiio e11. Also, comfort-wise these send mixed signals. One day you forget you have them on then the next they're slipping out of your ear which can be irritating...very irritating. Havi b3s are the winners over all but when transitioning between IEMs, the bass presence that the TTPOD provides is missed. 
 
I recommend these, especially because of the price! $12-15 will get you a far more neutral or lean IEM. For on the go, fun, warmer listening, give these guys a try. I am happy with my Shures, Havi's and TTPODs hands down. Headphones can be like the differences between milk chocolate, white chocolate, and dark chocolate (especially in the difference of the 2 dual drives in my lot).
 
My Ranking:
Havi's (detail, detail, detail)
SE215 (ergonomics and comfort)
TTPOD (versatility)
UE700 (distorted too easily)
Klip...(Good with some comply's)