I had the M-5 before this one and had no problems. But the HD 500 can do a lot more. And for me is a real pain in the azz to understand. But I'm an old fart, so maybe some of you young dudes won't have as many problems as me. Don't get me wrong.....it's a great piece of gear and can do lots of stuff. You just have to have some tech savvy. The only reason I got it was because the price was right. Good luck however you decide to go.