The 8500 really has some awesome features and tone options. I believe d5 is a boost by removing modulation and d0 is a fast mode. I bet if it were to be evaluated today, there really isn’t any reason it shouldn’t be competent.
I remember most 8000 users complaining about the audio being more digital in the 8500.....well by today’s current machines it should not sound to digital. TheHunterGT had a good video review not long ago of the 8500. I almost got one instead of an 8000 v4.
I hardly use the omega. It’s very fussy about certain sites. Forget hunting iron. The Goldbug dusts it bigtime. And for depth the t2 easily wins out using a smaller coil even. For me the omega is a really good park and yard machine. You always know when your on a coin With the omega. It sails through aluminum trash. 8” is as deep of silver I’ve gotten, a quarter and a war nickel sandwiched together using the Cors 12x13. I usually use the 10x5DD.
One mistake I see in the omega’s is not using a 0-15 ferrous range instead of 0-40. It really needs a wider mid and upper range on the ID scale to make non ferrous work easier. Does the F5 use 0-15 scale like other f-series?