detectingMO
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Ran it last Friday for several hours. Factory default setup feel about 90% like version 6 8000. IMO version 5/6 already had some "digital" feel compared to the v4 units. If you didn't have a lot of time on version 4 you may not notice much of a change.
Performance seems identical in ground in air test. ID is the same although I feel clad dimes are at 85 now instead of 84 in my soil and copper penny is consistent at 83 ID. This is nice as before they overlapped a bit. The last 1-2" of nickel ID is bouncy now. Still solid to 6" in my soils. But this changed some on version 6 as well. The version 4 was uncharacteristically accurate on nickels at depth. EMI is once again a little more improved in default deep 1 process verses version 6. It still has some noise when digging but not swinging. It feels like possibly the gain dial still adds threshold in disc like on version 6 although not advertised as such. You can still push it into the circuit noise for sure. It's not limited like an F44. In fact, I don't feel it's like an F44 at all other than it's a bit more digital feeling now. Omega 8500 default recovery, ID, and depth are MUCH better than it. IMO
Disc ID now has decimal place. It does make the unit feel different because the number format is different and the decimal place shifts the large numbers off center. But it's not a big deal. I kind of like it. I'm betting in time this will prove valuable.
Notch volume is really nice. You really don't need to disc or notch with it. I'm not sure if having a target silent vs disc/notched out improves anything but it's nice to still see ID visuals without audio on targets that could be trash. Especially with the multiple target ID indication now. Trash targets will typically light up multiple categories/notches for secondary ID's vs a good solid coin/ring will mostly be just the primary notch/category lit up. You lose some of that visual if you disc/notch out categories.
deep 0 or fast mode is just like F75 enhanced FA mode. Super fast audio recovery. Noisier for sure and less depth. I can still hit a 6" buried dime with it on though. 8500 seems to separate a little better than the 8000 by default and this mode really makes it a strong contender in super trash and nails.
deep 2 pretty much eliminates power interference. Without EMI around doesn't seem to gain much on depth or slow recovery too much. Maybe more like F75 9.1 dst on vs 9.0. Not necessarily boost process but less emi typically means you can run it hotter and get a boost. Deep 3 does feel like a little depth boost though it's advertised as just a different EMI filter. Either way, it's very nice to have options. EMI majorly improved
All metal is best ran in deep 1 IMO. Super smooth threshold. It's very deep. you get ID in AM (without the decimal) but you get detection much beyond the ID depth. It not longer is just a option like the old omega but a legitimate hunt mode. The 8500 has the potential to be a great relic hunter now. It will take a while for that to catch on though but once a well know relic guy figures it out we'll hear about it. When you change the all metal tone it affect pinpoint too. very nice since I've always found the 8000 pin point annoying sounding. A2-A3 work great for me. The 8500 remembers all settings besides ground balance and backlight so it's nice to set and forget.
Backlight is a nice added feature for those that need it. Too bad it's red. I know it looks cool but blue/white makes more sense.
the 5" coil and 10" seem to perform a bit better than before. I noticed more with the 5". Seems to have a little more punch than before and better separation.
Ground balance offset is nice feature for those that use it. I've never really found a need. It will off set the ground grab only. If you manual set the gb that's what it will be ran at.
Housing is same as the non-camo g2+ and F19. Rubber plugger for 1/4" headphone jack and coil connector on back moved up a bit for easier access and better angle. New F-series coils fit easily now and are nice cheap options for the concentric lovers. My favorite of those is the 7" found on the F11 and Digitek
It's definitely a more rounded unit now. Now if it just had the ability to toggle to 19.2khz and become a G2+ with Omega features that would be nice. Or better yet, both frequencies at once.
I have a walk though and a few trash target digs up on youtube.
I'm sure I've missed some thoughts. Been a long weekend. But the Omega 8000 is my favorite detector and most experience so I'm holding this 8500 to a high standard. If I had to get just one I would get the 8500. The new features benefit detecting much more than some loss in analog/smoothness that made me fall in love with the original. If you already have a lot of detectors I don't know that getting a 8500 over a 8000 does much for you in detector for a strict purpose like coin hunting. But if you have a couple or just one its a much better option than the 8000. Of course the 8000 is discontinued so those with a closet full may want to hold on to it.
Performance seems identical in ground in air test. ID is the same although I feel clad dimes are at 85 now instead of 84 in my soil and copper penny is consistent at 83 ID. This is nice as before they overlapped a bit. The last 1-2" of nickel ID is bouncy now. Still solid to 6" in my soils. But this changed some on version 6 as well. The version 4 was uncharacteristically accurate on nickels at depth. EMI is once again a little more improved in default deep 1 process verses version 6. It still has some noise when digging but not swinging. It feels like possibly the gain dial still adds threshold in disc like on version 6 although not advertised as such. You can still push it into the circuit noise for sure. It's not limited like an F44. In fact, I don't feel it's like an F44 at all other than it's a bit more digital feeling now. Omega 8500 default recovery, ID, and depth are MUCH better than it. IMO
Disc ID now has decimal place. It does make the unit feel different because the number format is different and the decimal place shifts the large numbers off center. But it's not a big deal. I kind of like it. I'm betting in time this will prove valuable.
Notch volume is really nice. You really don't need to disc or notch with it. I'm not sure if having a target silent vs disc/notched out improves anything but it's nice to still see ID visuals without audio on targets that could be trash. Especially with the multiple target ID indication now. Trash targets will typically light up multiple categories/notches for secondary ID's vs a good solid coin/ring will mostly be just the primary notch/category lit up. You lose some of that visual if you disc/notch out categories.
deep 0 or fast mode is just like F75 enhanced FA mode. Super fast audio recovery. Noisier for sure and less depth. I can still hit a 6" buried dime with it on though. 8500 seems to separate a little better than the 8000 by default and this mode really makes it a strong contender in super trash and nails.
deep 2 pretty much eliminates power interference. Without EMI around doesn't seem to gain much on depth or slow recovery too much. Maybe more like F75 9.1 dst on vs 9.0. Not necessarily boost process but less emi typically means you can run it hotter and get a boost. Deep 3 does feel like a little depth boost though it's advertised as just a different EMI filter. Either way, it's very nice to have options. EMI majorly improved
All metal is best ran in deep 1 IMO. Super smooth threshold. It's very deep. you get ID in AM (without the decimal) but you get detection much beyond the ID depth. It not longer is just a option like the old omega but a legitimate hunt mode. The 8500 has the potential to be a great relic hunter now. It will take a while for that to catch on though but once a well know relic guy figures it out we'll hear about it. When you change the all metal tone it affect pinpoint too. very nice since I've always found the 8000 pin point annoying sounding. A2-A3 work great for me. The 8500 remembers all settings besides ground balance and backlight so it's nice to set and forget.
Backlight is a nice added feature for those that need it. Too bad it's red. I know it looks cool but blue/white makes more sense.
the 5" coil and 10" seem to perform a bit better than before. I noticed more with the 5". Seems to have a little more punch than before and better separation.
Ground balance offset is nice feature for those that use it. I've never really found a need. It will off set the ground grab only. If you manual set the gb that's what it will be ran at.
Housing is same as the non-camo g2+ and F19. Rubber plugger for 1/4" headphone jack and coil connector on back moved up a bit for easier access and better angle. New F-series coils fit easily now and are nice cheap options for the concentric lovers. My favorite of those is the 7" found on the F11 and Digitek
It's definitely a more rounded unit now. Now if it just had the ability to toggle to 19.2khz and become a G2+ with Omega features that would be nice. Or better yet, both frequencies at once.
I have a walk though and a few trash target digs up on youtube.
I'm sure I've missed some thoughts. Been a long weekend. But the Omega 8000 is my favorite detector and most experience so I'm holding this 8500 to a high standard. If I had to get just one I would get the 8500. The new features benefit detecting much more than some loss in analog/smoothness that made me fall in love with the original. If you already have a lot of detectors I don't know that getting a 8500 over a 8000 does much for you in detector for a strict purpose like coin hunting. But if you have a couple or just one its a much better option than the 8000. Of course the 8000 is discontinued so those with a closet full may want to hold on to it.
