Spring will soon be upon us. And that is when many of us
will start working on our cars. And that includes our car stereos. Car stereo
manufacturers are continually coming out with better models. If you are looking
to upgrade your radio, you will probably need a dash kit. And Metra makes some
of the best, which is what they have been known for, for many years. But Metra
does much more than that. Now you can turn to Metra for all of your car stereo
installation needs.
Metra has multiple brands under their corporate umbrella to
provide you the products you need. Their quality levels are easy to follow. Such
as their T-Spec brand for speaker, ground, and power wire, as well as RCA
cables, fuse holders, and distribution blocks. They start at V8, goes to V10,
and finishes with V12. To test their quality, they sent multiple different
install products, with some from different levels. What was provided was V8
in-line fuse holders, V12 distribution blocks, power and ground wire, and V12
RCA cables. And to protect your gear, these are the kinds of products you need. After all, you don't want to create a
potential fire hazard for using the wrong size wire for your amp.
Features and specs:
Fuse Holder:
·
> Lok-Nut style fasteners
·
> Solid brass construction
·
> Water resistant
Distribution blocks:
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> Universal Screw Design works with many tools
·
> Mounting Options with screws or wire ties
·
> Small Footprint with compact brass design
·
> Solid brass construction for maximum
conductivity
·
> Compact design for simpler installation
·
> Impact resistant polycarbonate cover
·
> Flat black finish
RCA Cables:
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> Mini Metal RCA ends
·
> Full oxygen free copper
·
> Twisted pair construction for noise reduction
·
> Soft touch super flex-able jacket
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> Packaged in High-End Retail Box
Power and Ground Wire:
·
> Exceeds CEA and ANSI specification for wire
gauge
·
> Full virgin copper construction
·
> High strand count for maximum flexibility
·
> Ultra-flexible PVC blended jacket
·
> BC-5W2 marine compliant
Let’s start with the V8 in-line fuse holder. It’s a much needed
part of your install to protect your amps. It had a clear plastic cover so that
you can see the state of the fuse. Quality was good. The internal connections
for the wire and fuse was also of good solid quality.
The V12 distribution blocks were even nicer. The internal
blocks were a smoked solid brass. The connections have a tight fit. And there
is a plastic cover that easily comes off to check the state of your fuses. It
was put together very well, with a solid feel. Quality of materials is also
very good.
Next up are the V12 RCA cables. They feature a twisted pair
wire to guard against noise. The connectors are metal with a quad cut tip for a
good signal connection. The metal connector also unscrews so you can see the
quality of the solder. They appeared to be well made. I’d prefer to see a cloth
cover on the cable, but that’s just personal taste.
Last but not least is the V12 I/O gauge power and ground
wire. Not all wire is created equal. I’ve seen lower quality manufactures make
what they may call a 4 gauge wire. It looks like the thickness of that size
wire, when compared to the gauge wire of other high quality manufacturers. But
when you cut off a piece of the jacket to use it, you see that the jacket is
much thicker than usual, and the actual wire is much thinner then that size
gauge wire. It was no surprise when comparing the I/O gauge V12 T-Spec to
another high quality manufacturers wire, that I was able to see that T-Spec
wasn’t skimping on the actual wire. You get what you are told you get. The wire
also has a high strand count of pure oxygen free copper as well as a flexible
jacket. This provides not only a strong current flow of your power, it also
makes for a flexible wire for an easy installation.
Each Metra product I get is a good product. They are not the
best in quality, but it's also not the most expensive. The quality is still very good, especially
for their price. They provide a very good bang for your buck. Based on what I
have seen of their products, I would not hesitate to purchase any Metra
Product. Based on their design, features, quality and performance, they have
earned our Highly Recommended Award. For more info and specs, visit their
website at www.metraonline.com.
