Omega 8500 initial impressions

[plugpopper]

I Just received my new omega 8500 in the mail today (actually it's my sons birthday present, but i had to make sure it works, right? ) and am excited to put it through the paces. Initial impression is I really like the build quality. Pretty hefty for such a simple looking machine. Arm cuff like heavy duty but pliable plastic so it should be able to take a beating. The rods are nice and sturdy, havent been able to notice any play when swinging in the house, they lock pretty tight. Mine came with just the 10" concentric because I am going to get a nel dd for it soon. Seems like it's sealed well and is pretty light. Would've liked a coil cover with it though, they should be standard items included by now but oh well, not that Big of a deal. Coil cord is made of that sticky rubber which I don't like because when you are in dirt or sand it totally sticks to it so I might be wrapping that up with something less sticky. Powering the unit on it seems they could have used nicer pots and knobs. Not that they are cheap junk ones but they could be smoother. Sometimes after adjusting one of the knobs it will keep alternating between two numbers. For example, turning the sensitivity up to 46 and then going back to searching I would have the numbers all of the sudden pop up again alternating between 46-47. Turning or tapping the dial will "center" it more on one of the numbers. Don't know if this happens on the original omega or not but seems like it might be a mild hindrance, not a big problem but there nonetheless. I really love the separate threshold control for all metal mode. There are also 4 different base tones for all metal. The new "deep" filters seem pretty cool, definitely can notice changes in discrimination and in all metal. 0 is fast mode. 1 is default. 2 and 3 are separate filters which seem like they will get better depth in all metal. As fast as in disc only time in the field will tell. Proper ground balance seems to make a huge difference on this detector. Just air testing and playing around with the g.b. was making huge differences in depth on air tests. Probably will transfer to a major adjustment in the field. Backlight is awesome of course. Love that red color as it will help to keep your vision tuned to the darkness when night hunting. Audio options are 1, 2, 3, and 4 tone with modulated audio. Audio 5 is 4 tone audio but unmodulated. Sort of like std mode on at pro. Also vdi has a decimal point now, as does the ground balance so in reality there are 999 points of adjustment. That's about all I got right now on it but I will definitely be testing soon. There aren't that many out there being tested. I think alot of people are happy with their original omega and didn't see much of an upgrade to put out more money. For people like me that have always wanted an omega, it was a no brainer getting the upgraded 8500. I will be posting our thoughts and finds in the next couple days. Going to take it to my trusty park where I found over 30 silver coins last year with the etrac and also to a wooded site with masked oldies that the etrac struggled with due to iron. Should be some good first spots to use the new omega.

 

[Jackpine Savage]

Congrats on your "sons" new 8500.

I had an 8000 when they first came out and really enjoyed using it for coin shooting. Always wanted to get another and when the 8500 was announced I kept my eye out for an as new one with a couple coils. Unfortunately I'm snowed in up here so it will be a while before I can put the coil to the soil on my O8.5. ..we referred to the original Omega as the O8 back in the day, so the new one must be the O8.5

Tom

 

[plugpopper]

Yea, it's still pretty frozen here in northern pa too but it's supposed to get in the 40s/50s this week so I'm hopeful it will thaw. Can't wait to see what this puppy is capable of. I just can't make myself pay for another flagship detector knowing that depth only goes so far and unmasking is where it's at. For the price I don't think anything can touch this O85. I hope my assumptions are proven when I get out this week.

 

[Jackpine Savage]

I believe with a proper small coil it should do fairly well at unmasking in iron. The 5x10 and 5" round DD coils show promise in my tests. Once things thaw out I'll have a chance to run it against a couple of well regarded higher freg machines.

Tom

 

[Monte]

Initial impression is I really like the build quality. Pretty hefty for such a simple looking machine. Arm cuff like heavy duty but pliable plastic so it should be able to take a beating. The rods are nice and sturdy, havent been able to notice any play when swinging in the house, they lock pretty tight.

Interesting opinions. Don't get me wrong because I have been and am a fan of the Omega 8000, but many of those I sold them to [size=small](when I was a dealer)[/size] and many who have or who have-had any of the Greek Series models, especially the Omega and G2 have commented that they felt 'wimpy' compared with most other brands they used, and the rods, when locked, still had a bit of play such that a coil could be canted one way or the other.

The biggest concern I hear from users of the Omega and G2 was how much the control housing would flex or bend with any thumb pressure on the side of the housing. I noted that as well and checking specimens from the box I felt some were more rigid than others. It was likely due to the housing mount strength and tightness of the single small securing screw. I guess a lot depends on what detectors we are used to and how we each view sturdiness vs weakness.

Mine came with just the 10" concentric because I am going to get a nel dd for it soon.

Why? You haven't used it afield with the stock 5½X9¾ Concentric, and Teknetics also offers a round 8" Concentric, and a choice of a round 5", elliptical 5X10, or the +11' [size=small](Double-D)[/size] search coils. Why a decision to get a NEL coil? I have used NEL coils on several detectors, including a couple of Teknetics models, T2 on down, and the detector and coil owner was as unimpressed as I was. What size NEL coil and what application do you think it might bring any improvement in performance?

Sometimes after adjusting one of the knobs it will keep alternating between two numbers. For example, turning the sensitivity up to 46 and then going back to searching I would have the numbers all of the sudden pop up again alternating between 46-47. Turning or tapping the dial will "center" it more on one of the numbers. Don't know if this happens on the original omega or not but seems like it might be a mild hindrance, not a big problem but there nonetheless.

I'm not sure about the 8500, but on the Omega 8000's I owned, I would set the Sensitivity as high as tolerable to maintain stability [size=small](never as low as you mention)[/size] and start hunting. I didn't notice any flickering between numbers, and if it was right at a break pojnt to cause flickering, some of that might be caused by EMI static. It shouldn't affect the performance in use, but I know little things like that can be annoying to some, just like the rod twist or housing flex or types of switches used.

Backlight is awesome of course. Love that red color as it will help to keep your vision tuned to the darkness when night hunting.

I had two Fisher F19's with the red backlight and five adjustment levels, and I can get very serious about night hunting in very hot summer weather to beat the heat of the day. Personally, I didn't care for the red light. I don't have a problem with a white lighted display because with my impaired vision I can read the display easier/better than with the red backlight. If a light is way too bright, and lacks any intensity adjustment, or if it shines more directly in you eyes, then I guess there could be eye adjustment issues after dark, but I have been using backlighted displays for years, and still do, and prefer the white backlight to the red. Again, just a personal thing.

That's about all I got right now on it but I will definitely be testing soon. There aren't that many out there being tested. I think alot of people are happy with their original omega and didn't see much of an upgrade to put out more money.

Your testing report from afield will be interesting, possibly, if you have some comparisons details. You are correct, for a new model release you sure don't see much in the way of discussion about the 8500. I know I was initially interested, simply because I like the Omega 8000 for urban Coin & Jewelry Hunting, and I also like having an Iron Audio Volume adjustment, but from early report prior to or at its release, I was left a bit unexcited. From the few videos I have seen and heard, I think I preferred the Omega 8000's audio response over the 8500, but when I get in to see a dealer friend, I am going to check out the 8500 and see if I change my mind.

As it is I have several detectors in my personal inventory that I use regularly ... all of them, with the exception of my two old Compass models that I have for memory sake and to use in seminars. Thus, I don't relay need a new detector, but I am interested. I want to know if they did anything to improve the performance in dense iron nail infested sites because I spend most of my time hunting old, very littered locations, and ferrous trash is the big offender.

For people like me that have always wanted an omega, it was a no brainer getting the upgraded 8500.

For me, so far, the "no brainer" has been trying to figure out if the 8500 is a real improvement for me and for my style of hunting over the original Omega 8000. I guess I should have nabbed one of the remain 8000's before they were sold out. I found a lot of coins and good jewelry with my four Omega 8000's, and they were all a version 4. The Omega (the 'original' model) was my favorite out of the entire Teknetics line. maybe I'll find one out there somewhere? I have a brand new Teknetics T2 'Classic' I bought for a seminar presentation/demonstration that I am going to sell, but maybe I'll try to find an equally new Omega 8000 Version 5 or 6?

I will be posting our thoughts and finds in the next couple days. Going to take it to my trusty park where I found over 30 silver coins last year with the etrac and also to a wooded site with masked oldies that the etrac struggled with due to iron. Should be some good first spots to use the new omega.

Unmasking good targets in a lot of iron debris is what I want to hear about the new Omega's with a 5" DD coil. I still have my 5" to mount on an Omega 8000, if I find a very clean, as-new specimen.

Can't wait to see what this puppy is capable of. I just can't make myself pay for another flagship detector knowing that depth only goes so far and unmasking is where it's at. For the price I don't think anything can touch this O85. I hope my assumptions are proven when I get out this week.

I guess I don't know what you consider a "flagship" detector to be, or if you are only referring to an "over-priced" detector offering?

I know what the Omega 8000 can do in dense iron environments. Everything I own and use can out-perform the 8000 and most other detectors in a dense iron contaminated environment, but I am interested in how the 8500 compares. I would like it to be a worthy contender, but I have a gut feeling that the 8500 might not rival the 8000 for me and my selection of older sites to hunt.

I'll be looking for your after-use report. Be sure to relate other makes and models you use in a comparison, and please include the modes, settings, and application used for the sites you will hunt.

Monte

 

[AndyNM]

Hello Monte,

I appreciate all your work here on the forum and your unbiased opinion. You are my number 1 writer here.

Maybe I can help you now to decide if the 8500 is worth a try for you.

Like you I'm a fan of the Omega 8000. I like the ease of use of the unit and I use it with the 8" round coil most of the time.
When I heard the 8500 is going to replace the 8000 I wasn't happy. All these new features of the 8500 just not as easy to select as on the 8000.

Than I played with the Omega 8500 a while and thought it is not as hard to use for beginners as I thought. All it take is set the right hand dial to its counterclockwise position which enters Disc Mode. Than turn the detector on with the gain dial and find your highest setting without getting the unit unstable. It now acts like an Omega 8000.

All other features, which the 8500 has over the 8000 can later be learned and used. On my first test yesterday with the 8500 I liked to be able to set the Iron category to a lower volume level than the other tones, because I used disc mode with disc at 0. That way I heard all the iron, but it didn't bother me and I got a good feel for the trash in the place I hunted in. When it got dark the back-light comes in handy too, but like you red is not my favorite color for a back-light.

The new deep modes enable the 8500 to go deeper than the 8000 ever could. In ground with low or mild mineralisation the Deep settings (2 and 3) with 50 Hertz or 60 Hertz EMI filter add in-ground punch to the 8500. But yesterday I hunted in high mineralisation ground and use Deep setting one, which is the recovery speed of the Omega 8000. I was able to run sensitivity at 90 and found coins 8 inches deep in that soil in disc mode. Test in my test garden showed that the all metal mode with the new independent Gain and threshold controls of the 8500 can reach depth in my high mineralised soil the Omega 8000 can't.

The more I play with the 8500 the more I like it. Would I buy an Omega 8000, when I can have an Omega 8500 for the same price?. Nooo, because the 8500 can do everything the 8000 can plus much more.

Best regards from Germany

Andy

 

[HighPlainsHunter]

Very well put Andy...

 

[Jackpine Savage]

Andy

Did you find that you had to reduce the gain in hotter ground when using D2 or D3, or did D1 just perform better overall? Curious because the manual mentions that in D2 with 60hz filter that gain may have to be reduced if noise is encountered and I take that to mean they are referring to ground noise rather than EMI.

Tom

 

[AndyNM]

In my hot soil here I use Deep 1, because depth test with boost (Deep 2 or 3) seems to fire back on the detector like driving with high beam on a foggy day.
Test with my T2 SE showed that Boost mode adds most depth in mild soil. I think it is the same with the Omega 8500 in Deep 2 or 3.

Andy

 

[jim tn]

I agree with Andy, I, too, feel the 8500 has more going for it then the 8000 and being an Omega fan, I would not go back to the 8000. The extra depth for some may not be all that important, but for some of us, it is. HH jim tn

 

[dfmike]

Andy, I'd like to know how it sounds compared to the 8000. I've read posts where people say that the sound the 8500 makes is different. Different in tone (more synthetic) and different in character. They say that sometimes sounds seem to be cut off. I don't have a 8500 but have a 8000 and Fisher F5. Both sound pretty much the same to me and there is none of that sound clipping/cutting off that I hear about the 8500. The reason I'd like to know is because I have a Fisher F44 that has what I would consider sounds that seem to be cut off. Often you can hear an incoming sound and then the sound is clipped. It's almost as if the machine can't make up its mind. Those half tones drive me crazy. If the 8500 does that, I won't touch it.

 

[Jackpine Savage]

Hey thanks! Mild soil I got

 

[jim tn]

I am going to try and put in a little more time with my 8500. Got it at Christmas time and used it for several hunts throughout the end of Dec and in Jan. Liked everything about it except initially the tones. To me they had a "clipped" or shorter length feel to them. After a few hours of hunting with it and perhaps gotten more used to the tone, that aspect wasn't as noticeable. My primary detector is the F 75 LTD 2 DST for old site hunting, so the Omega 8500 does see a little less use, but I do really enjoy it for coin shooting. HH jim tn

 

[dfmike]

Thanks for the info Jim. By what I've been hearing about the 8500 so far, I'm pretty sure it resembles the F44 as far as the clipped or partial tones. I'll have to try it as I like to have a back light and the new deeper detecting modes seem promising.

 

[jim tn]

The 8500 really does have some good things going for it. In heavy trash the Do mode is great, just to mention one. HH jim tn