DAB Radio - Please change the Ensemble

[scoupe]

Hello, I have a 2016 CX5 and was pleased that it came with a DAB radio. However sometimes it works fine and other times it cuts in and out all the time. I assume that it is the signal and I then switch to FM which is a lower quality sound. The strange thing is that I get the message "Please  change the Ensemble" (the E is a capital) when the DAB signal is lost. I was thinking of resetting back to the factory settings to see if that helped before going back to the dealer. However I wondered if anyone else gets the same message and has resolved the problem with their DAB radio?

[Southern Teuchter]

Yes, I've got a new CX-5 and get exactly the same message.  I think it's simply poor translation and means 'Please change the station'.  It happens when the DAB signal is poor.  Whereas with FM the sound gets a bit distorted in a poor signal area, with a digital radio the result is binary - it either works or it doesn't.  Actually, the DAB will sometimes use the FM as a backup and default to FM if the DAB is poor and there's the same station available on FM.

[xtrailman]

This may explain what's happening.

http://www.radio-now.co.uk/dab_radio_faqs.htm

Personally i can't tell the difference between DAB and FM, but my hearing isn't 100% perfect.
I find Dab useful for Smooth and Magic but not much else.

[Dave]

I lose the signal from time to time, especially national radio, which I assume has a regional signal.

If I do a new station search I can then select an ensemble ( category header), which saves scrolling down through all the stations, but after a short while this function no longer works.

The traffic announcements don't work either for me.

[rmvf]

Oh dear I can't believe it, had the car over 4 months and realized we weren't using the DAB function, couldn't tell much in difference on quality but it's nice to get planet rock and absolute 80,s on, lol. Favourites updated also dug out the bible ( manual)  for some light reading, will test and check quality of dab over next few weeks and repost if required. Thanks scoupe for original post

[MikeyB]

FYI, an "Ensemble" is a bundle of DAB stations that are multiplexed together and broadcast on the same frequency. Your DAB radio then fishes out the one you want to listen to. Rather like a bag of jellybeans, but you only want the strawberry ones...

[ianbram]

I realise that this post is quite old but just in case others are looking.
I bought my new cx5 in March 2018 and nothing has changed with regards to the poor radio signal.
Point of interest though, I have been driving a 2018 VW Tiguan for the last few days which also has DAB and not once has it lost signal.
(same journey - home to work and back)