Shane Filan tours with Flare Audio X5A Vertical Point Source Array

Former Westlife front man on debut solo tour.

Shane Filan's is the first major tour to use Flare Audio's X5A Vertical Point Source Array system, configured with six X5As and four Q18 bass units aside, powered by Lab.gruppen PLM20000Q four channel DSP amplifiers. With industry veteran Steve Levitt at the production helm, Shane Filan took in 18 cities around the UK and Eire, finishing in the star's home city of Dublin on 14th March.

Supported by Orbital Sound, the Flare Audio rig represents an extremely compact system that is fully capable of handling the tour's diverse venues.

Steve Levitt has been putting the X5A/Q18 rig through its paces, commenting:

"I am really excited by this Flare Audio system on several levels. Not only is it just about as pure a sound as you can get, but it also delivers outrageous pressure levels and clarity! Davies Roberts has created something exceptional, based on good science – removing the sound distortion associated with the conventional wooden box approach and letting you hear the speakers for themselves. We have worked this system hard during this tour, and after some tweaking with the electronic pre-sets, it lets me do exactly what I want. If I use equalisation now, it's to correct the room, not the box, and the imaging is amazing – move the pan pot a notch or two and you can really hear it. It's a very clever sound, with louds of power, and I wouldn't hesitate to tour it again."

Flare Audio's X5A Series has been designed for maximu m scalability, and can be used as a single unit for point source applications; as ground-stacked small arrays; or large-scale hangs of up to 22 cabinets. The X5A combines industry-leading compact size and high definition natural sound, with excellent throw characteristics and controllability. Flare Audio has pioneered a new approach to line array design, applying the theory of Waveform Integrity through its patent-pending SpaceTM enclosure structure, and its VortexTM exhaust technology. Featuring a slim panel design and integral flying system, the X5A represents an efficient and cost-effective option for rental companies, as a fast-rigging system that occupies minimal truck or storage space. The Q18 bass units produce a deep directional bass to complement the X5A loudspeakers, with Flare Audio's NanoflowTM optimised driver alignment to achieve efficient coupling for the minimum amount of wave damage for low frequencies.

I am really excited by this Flare Audio system on several levels. Not only is it just about as pure a sound as you can get, but it also delivers outrageous pressure levels and clarity!

Latest News

more... London's Half Moon converts fully to Flare Audio
more... Flare Audio appoints Orbital Sound as UK & Ireland Distributor