Sound System Upgraded

[bagel.rhodes]

I am looking to get my New California Beach 6.1 system upgraded and after some research I‘ve homed in on system from Absolut5

Signature Audio

Hertz Millie Pro front door and pillar tweeters
Audison SR5.600 amp running activ
Audison bass control
JL Audio 10w1 10” sub in our own design and manufactured under seat enclosure
Sound deadening of front doors
All cables etc

It’s not cheap but the component parts looks the part.

Has anyone used Absolut5? Also anyone else has a really good set up that they could share?

I’m really keen on a great sound system, my beautiful van also converts to my company care, so I spend a lot of time in it.

Thanks all.

 

[66tim99]

I’ve had the alpine speaker upgrade - recommended but you do really need to add the sub as well. All in about £1600 fitted - ouch
https://www.advanced-incar.co.uk/pr...-transporter-t6-t6-1-dsp-amplifier-subwoofer/

 

[Big Ted]

I’ve had Absolut5 upgrade my setup in my 2008 Cali.
I have an aftermarket Sony head unit which I fitted and I needed something more from the speakers.

The signature set looks amazing, but I couldn’t justify the cost.

In the end, following on from a few chats with them, I ended up with a new amp, door speakers and dash tweeters upgraded. Front doors were sound proofed too. I can’t fully recall the price but it was comfortably less than half of the signature setup.

Very pleased with the end result and I’m not sure I’ll ever get around to fitting an additional sub now.
Kids say the speakers hurt their ears, but being nearly 50 it sounds just right to me at a good volume.

I’d recommend you call them and have a chat
If you’ve not done so already.
If I ever changed my Cali for another it would be going there for an audio upgrade for sure.

 

[Skewif]

I have the setup you’re looking at. Fitted it myself but took me a day and a half. It’s about as good as it gets and you soon forget the cost when drowning out the other half’s singing. Very pleased overall. Wish I had done it years ago.

 

[kurienp]

Well, you've got the answer to your question there, but to add, absolut5 come highly recommended on the T6 forum, so they are good.

 

[bagel.rhodes]

Well, you've got the answer to your question there, but to add, absolut5 come highly recommended on the T6 forum, so they are good.

Thank you all of my interactions have been great, really solid and clear about my choice. Thank you for confirming this it is a lot to pay but I love my music and my van, combing the two needs to be carefully thought through:

 

[bagel.rhodes]

I have the setup you’re looking at. Fitted it myself but took me a day and a half. It’s about as good as it gets and you soon forget the cost when drowning out the other half’s singing. Very pleased overall. Wish I had done it years ago.

Thank you - it looks great. The van has the upgraded glass for sound proofing, it will be great to get the doors deadened:

I’ve had Absolut5 upgrade my setup in my 2008 Cali.
I have an aftermarket Sony head unit which I fitted and I needed something more from the speakers.

The signature set looks amazing, but I couldn’t justify the cost.

In the end, following on from a few chats with them, I ended up with a new amp, door speakers and dash tweeters upgraded. Front doors were sound proofed too. I can’t fully recall the price but it was comfortably less than half of the signature setup.

Very pleased with the end result and I’m not sure I’ll ever get around to fitting an additional sub now.
Kids say the speakers hurt their ears, but being nearly 50 it sounds just right to me at a good volume.

I’d recommend you call them and have a chat
If you’ve not done so already.
If I ever changed my Cali for another it would be going there for an audio upgrade for sure.

thanks Big Ted - it’s a bit cost, to me it’s super important. Did you keep the head unit, or did you change that as well? I don’t like the ones that don’t fit in the space and stick out.

 

[Big Ted]

I kept my Sony headunit, so just speakers, (front and tweeter) amp and sound proofing.

 

[reserves]

Absolut 5 are very very highly rated and know their stuff.

You can’t go wrong with them, sure you’ll love it.

 

[brooodie]

I'm interested in something like this however the trim in my 6.1 Ocean already rattles a lot when listening to the stock
system at full volume I'd worry that this would be worse after an upgrade. Also not overly keen on non stock controls etc - where do they mount the amp and bass controls (is it discreet?), any pics of the install?

 

[Volkywagen]

Skipton car audio are the people in the know when it comes to ICE and transporters

 

[GrahamB]

I'm interested in something like this however the trim in my 6.1 Ocean already rattles a lot when listening to the stock
system at full volume I'd worry that this would be worse after an upgrade. Also not overly keen on non stock controls etc - where do they mount the amp and bass controls (is it discreet?), any pics of the install?

No its not worse if you also fit sound deadening. But probably more relevant to the frequencies that vibrate the door panels is fitting a sub - you can then dial in as much bass as you want without distortion. The original speakers are simply not up to it if you like it loud. I also got the Alpine speaker upgrade and it is good but a powered sub makes a hige difference. Mine is a Kenwood plug and play one which was fitted by Absolut5, very helpful guys. I wrote about it in this thread: https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/t6-1-audio-kenwood-ksc-psw8-underseat-subwoofer.41636/

The OP’s proposed system looks out of this world by comparison - but at a way higher price which I personally could not justify in a van! I would be really interested to hear more about it when fitted though.

 

[bagel.rhodes]

No its not worse if you also fit sound deadening. But probably more relevant to the frequencies that vibrate the door panels is fitting a sub - you can then dial in as much bass as you want without distortion. The original speakers are simply not up to it if you like it loud. I also got the Alpine speaker upgrade and it is good but a powered sub makes a hige difference. Mine is a Kenwood plug and play one which was fitted by Absolut5, very helpful guys. I wrote about it in this thread: https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/t6-1-audio-kenwood-ksc-psw8-underseat-subwoofer.41636/

The OP’s proposed system looks out of this world by comparison - but at a way higher price which I personally could not justify in a van! I would be really interested to hear more about it when fitted though.

I’ll let you know when it’s fitted in a few weeks. I can’t wait.

 

[bagel.rhodes]

I’ll let you know when it’s fitted in a few weeks. I can’t wait.

As an update after 3 weeks with the Van the sound is brilliant, the deading is impressive and does drown out road noise especially on those parts of the motorway, it’s not going to be silent when on low volume but there is a real difference in the volume that you need to drown it out is lower. The bass (under my seat) is big and being able to tweak it from listening to Dave (psychodrama) and having it boom, then tweaking it down to Nick Drake is great, little turning knob on the left side by the lights. It’s each to distort the bass, but you are then pushing the overall sound anyway. Clarity at mid volume across the mid and highs is exceptional, crisp, big orchestra, lead guitar, female vocals (and some male) all have a wonderful clarity. I push it high 3/4 volume (not Marshall 11) and all the frequency stay there and don’t blur. Even with a big van it’s really impressive. for 600 GBP less would I opt for the Alphine, I’d say I’m so happy I’ve not though about it. Absolut5 were absolute gems as well, can’t praise them enough for a small independent outfit, everything was done brilliantly, the interactions / communication. It does take 1/2 day so get the buss and got to Salisbury for the morning or afternoon. It was the best 3 hour drive home mixing my music types to keep testing the set up. As you can tell I‘m really happy, I also think these vans are 75K + 2% spent on a not good but amazing sound system seems like a really good use of the money. In 3 weeks I have done 3,000 miles across the country and enjoyed every last minute of my new beach and my new sound system - playing psychodrama was definetly one of the highlights.