Nexus Credo DDM Review

After putting extensive hours in with the Nexus Standard MP V2 I decided that I wanted to purchase another Nexus machine. After hearing that the Standard MP V3 was near completion I put my preorder in immediately, the V3 is going to be a very special detector and when I eventually receive it I will be putting as much information out about it as possible. To pacify my desire for another Nexus model I decided to order the Credo DDM, this might be the cheapest of the Nexus range but you are still getting an exceptional detector for the money. The Credo may be the little brother of both the MK2 and MP V2, but it's still super deep and the DDM discrimination is spot on. One of the mains aspects that drew me towards it was the variable recovery speed, my plan was to initially use the Credo with a fast recovery on the new areas I hunt that contain a lot of shallow non-ferrous targets, setting the Credo up like this will allow me to work faster. When it's set on a fast recovery it's fantastic at isolating targets that are close together. Initially my grand plan was to use my Equinox for this task and then bring the Nexus machines in to go deeper. However after using Nexus detectors I have no desire to ever use a digital platform again. For me the Credo was to be used for a specific application, I approach all my land in a systematic way and the Credo will now play a big part in this. 

Just like all Nexus machines the Credo is built exceptionally well, with the smaller coils it's light, compact and feels very solid to swing. Like my Standard MP V2, when using the 13' inch coil it can feel a little nose heavy but I use a swing harness to alleviate this issue. The control panel is very clear and intuitive, everything included on it is there for a reason, there are no pointless gimmicks it's all geared towards performance, it's this way with all Nexus machines, there are no bells and whistles. Compared to the MP V2 the ground balance control has been simplified, this is to allow for easier tuning, instead of having a 10 turn potentiometer you just have a standard knob. The ground balance setting might not be as acute compared to the MP V2 but it's still incredibly sensitive when it comes to dialling it in to the ground. It's important to practice the ground balance procedure as much as possible because the operation and discrimination of the machine stems from the perfect ground balance setting.

The discrimination knob is obviously used to cancel out unwanted iron, I set this before I start detecting, I carry various sized iron nails around with me so I can calibrate the machine before use. It's possible to discriminate out really large pieces of iron and still detect tiny little buttons. The secret to getting the right settings is to dial in each knob in tiny increments, the smallest adjustment can have a big effect so go easy when you're adjusting anything. The threshold on the Credo is "True" not a "Reference" and really comes into play when you're listening for the potential deeper targets, I always have mine set around the 12 o'clock position. You want it so the threshold tone is 'just' audible, you'll find that it will raise and latch on to targets beautifully set like this. The threshold knob also functions as a switch to put the machine into "automatic" mode, if you've never had a Nexus machine I recommend this as a good starting point. It basically sets the parameters for you so you can get use to the Nexus language. To enter automatic mode simply turn the threshold knob fully anti-clockwise, you'll hear a click and all the LEDs above the knobs will light up red. In this mode you simply swing and dig all non-ferrous targets, the DDM meter will light up red when you've hit on a potential good target. Once you're comfortable then you can practice setting the machine up manually. Below is a picture of the Credo with the automatic mode engaged. 

One thing I will mention about the auto-mode, it's not as good as a manual setup so I advise you learn how to setup the machine from scratch when you feel comfortable with it's language. Moving on to the DDM meter, this is the LED bar at the top of the machines interface, non-ferrous will always come in as red and with iron it will stay black, you'll obviously get a tone but the DDM won't emit a colour. Most non-ferrous signals will be two way but occasionally you'll only get a DDM hit in one direction, what I mean by this is, you'll get a two way audio response but the DMM will only light up red in one direction. I advise that you always dig one way signals. I've found deeper buttons on edge can produce one way signals along with a non-ferrous target being in the same hole as iron. Be careful not to mistake false signals as one way signals, you'll find false signals can occur if the coil passes over the edge of iron. The telltale sign of this is the red LED firing up to the top of the DDM meter and back again, similar to if you're revving a car whilst watching the speedometer. You won't be able to lock on both ways to a false signal, as we know, all detectors false it's just with all Nexus machines you get a visual representation of the false signal occurring. After extensive use you'll start to understand what the machine is telling you. 

False signals can also occur when the machine isn't ground balanced properly, if you move over to a patch of land that might be wetter or dryer than the ground you initially ground balanced on then you will have to retune slightly. Remember, Nexus machines are super sensitive and to have optimum performance all the time you may have to occasionally dial it back in, for me this is part of the fun detecting with these machines. The ground balance procedure is explained within the user manual for the Credo, what you're looking for is a consistent threshold tone when the coil is raised and lowered, it might sound tricky but with a little practice it will become second nature. I've seen posts on both the forums and YouTube saying that it's hard to run Nexus machines stable, this is all utter rubbish, when setup correctly they're pretty much the most stable machines out there. Everything written on the Nexus website is fact, all the machines including the Credo are super stable and super deep and this coming from someone who uses Nexus extensively. 

Just like the MP V2 the Credo has a dual tone setting, when activated non-ferrous targets will produce a high tone whilst ferrous targets produce a low tone. The higher you turn the knob the higher the non-ferrous tone will be. The dual tone locks on slowly so if you choose to use it then I recommend a slow swing speed, in fact, I recommend a slow swing speed all the time. This really gives the machine the chance to lock on to any potential deeper targets, when I hunt I go super slow, I have no desire to rush along swinging like a madman. In regards to sensitivity, all Nexus machines are designed to be used on a zero sensitivity setting, this is because the 'baseline' setting it's vastly higher than most other detectors. Depending on the environment when you increase the sensitivity you also increase ground noise, if you're not careful that ground noise can mask the whispery deeper signals. I've hit coins on zero sensitivity 10' inches plus and the machine hits on them like they're just under the surface. Because the Credo coils are 'resonant tuned' you're getting outstanding sensitivity without having to dial anything in. On occasions I do bump the sensitivity up, you'll find the machine will pick up on the tiniest of fragments and if there's not to much ground noise, it hits really hard on deep targets. It's all just a case of experimenting and putting the time in to learn the detector. But like I mentioned before, go easy on the controls, sometimes less is more with Nexus. 

As with all Nexus machines the iron rejection mode can be switched on via a switch under the control box, this enables the machine to cancel out the iron, meaning you won't get a full tone, the machine will click when iron is detected. This reminds of the noise my old Fisher 1265x use to make when using the dual discrimination switch. I don't use the iron reject, it effects depth and seems to suffocate non-ferrous signals. Searching in all metal is not only deeper but it allows the machine to breathe, all detected targets seem to sound fuller. Iron reject mode can be useful to help pinpoint and isolate a signal also once you've found a potential good target, switching from all metal to iron reject can give you some clues. I find with coins when you switch from all metal to iron reject, if the tone stays the same then there's a very high chance it's a good target. However if you've switched from all metal to iron reject and the tone is rough or slightly broken up this usually indicates a trash target, with extensive use you will start to be able to hear the nuances within the machines tones. Foil sounds different to coins, deep targets sound different to shallow ones and eroded items sound different to clean ones. It's all there to understand if you are willing to put the time in to learning the machine.

Going back to the subject of the varaible recovery speed, you have three settings, slow, medium and fast, slow is ideal for cleaner ground that doesn't contain targets that are close together, when set to the slow the signals are more elongated and slightly wider sounding. For ground that has more trash and targets closer together the medium recovery sharpens up both the target and signal response. As mentioned earlier, the fast recovery setting is fantastic for busy environments where targets are tight and close together, the signal response is fast and tighter sounding, sometimes I use the fast setting to help me pinpoint targets more accurately.

Found With The Credo & Dual 9' Coil

The final point to cover is the coils and the batteries, like all Nexus machines the Credo runs on 10 AA batteries which fit snug in the compartment under the arm cup. Due to the transmitter being slightly less powerful than the MK2 and MP V2 you get a very long run time off a single charge. Looking at the coils, there are two sizes made, a 10' inch DD and a 13' inch DD, when I ordered my Credo Georgi offered me his dual 9' inch and I was lucky enough to find a 7' inch coil online, so I have a fantastic selection. All coils punch way deeper than those of the same size produced by other companies out there. I do believe Nexus produce some of the deepest machines ever made and the Credo with the smaller coils is no exception. I've made some great finds with this machine and I know it's going to assist me in finding many more hidden treasures.

So to some up, I wholeheartedly believe that Nexus machines are in a league of their own and the Credo continues this fashion, don't be fooled by the price, you're still getting a high end unit with exceptional power and performance. I would recommend the Credo to anyone out there looking to become a Nexus user, it's the perfect starting point and if you gel with the platform you can always invest in one of their more expensive models. Like I've mentioned before, Nexus machines are made to order, this means they're not mass-produced, every machine is hand built. They contain no gimmicks or the latest tech and no VDI display, everything within in the machine is designed to find metal objects in the ground. I've seen some comments online regarding Nexus machines saying "if they were so good why isn't everyone using one", the answer to that is simple. Georgi from Nexus doesn't waste thousands of pounds on marketing campaigns he invests the money into product development, it's really that simple. 

Nexus Credo Rating 10/10