AMEK Angela "Doublewide" 51-Channel 24-Bus Inline Recording / Mixing Console

Angie, baby...you're a special lady. And you're also 10 feet long.

Or whatever Helen Reddy said.

Yes, this is an absolutely gigantic AMEK Angela console loaded tip to tail with 51 inline input modules.

But before we begin, I'd like to lay out some very important things about this desk right away. It'd be absolutely cruel of me to make you read through an enormous wall of text only to startle you with a deal-breaking detail or four all the way toward the end. So let's clear the air from the jump...

• This console is in non-functioning condition, and is being sold as-is. Simply due to the size of the thing and the sheer number of modules -- and the number of pots and switches and capacitors and ICs held within -- getting this thing respectably running and happy will be a substantial project. It will take time, patience, dedication, money, and a sizable parts order...but the right person or people can absolutely bring this thing back to life and commission it into a working studio. Certain types of folks would even find it to be a pretty damn rewarding project when it's all tidied up. Are you one of those people? Let's find out together!
• I have not done (and will not do) any repair work on this console. I have gone through it as methodically as is possible in its current operational state (which is not good) to get an idea for what and where the issues are, and to identify problems which are more global and/or thematic rather than "pad switch on channel 41 is broken."
• This friggin' thing is over 10 feet long, and the backplane which accepts the modules runs all the way through the frame without any breaks in the action, so we're not talking about an easy "just cut it in half!" candidate. It's almost certainly going to stay 10 feet long forever, which makes it a non-starter for a lot of studios/spaces. My control room, for instance, could not physically fit this console. You must also think about the mechanics and logistics of maneuvering the frame into place, through doors and hallways, etc.
• I've successfully gotten signal from the oscillator into and out of many of the input modules, but the master stereo bus is not passing signal and the control room monitoring section is also behaving erratically. My recommendation for "first order of business" (after giving the power supplies a "good faith" check) would be to completely re-cap and re-chip the A30 Stereo Master Module without thinking twice and starting from there. You'll have a much easier time figuring out what needs attention with the input modules if you can, y'know...actually monitor/hear them.
• This console originally shipped with the optional VCA automation and is still fitted with the VCA faders. I would not just strongly suggest, but maybe even beg you to replace all of the faders with regular-ol' audio taper faders, rip out the VCA cards, and toss them in the trash. Or, I dunno, try to move 'em to someone who has an automated Angela and wants 10 lifetimes supplies of spare VCA cards. Whatever's clever. Converting this console to standard faders will go a long way in making it sound as good as it can. I have a box of Alps faders (~24 of them) which I will gladly give to the buyer of this console to show how serious I am about ripping all the VCA crap out of this console.

Still with me? Not running away yet? Cool. Then I'll also tell you that I myself own a 28-frame Angela, that it's the daily driver at my studio, and that I've done all the routine maintenance and basic repairs to keep the thing working reliably since I dropped it into my joint in 2021. I'm no tech, I don't pretend to be one, but I am capable of troubleshooting and fault-finding, basic component-level repairs, re-capping stuff, replacing pots and switches, and have learned a fair amount about the guts of these consoles over the last couple-too-tree years -- what's great about them, what's tricky or even annoying about them, not-so-obvious things to look out for, etc.

Why am I telling you this? Because I'm offering myself up, post-sale, as a pretty decent resource / brain to pick / sounding board for the buyer of this gigantic Angela console. The troubleshooting section in the technical manual is quite detailed and covers 95% of what you may or may not run into in repairing and maintaining the console, but if you're stuck on something and the book ain't giving you answers, I really do invite you to reach out and see if I can't lend a hot tip or two.

As well, please feel free to get in touch by messaging me here on Reverb if you are serious about purchasing this console and have specific questions or concerns about, well...anything to do with the console. I am more than happy to answer questions which actually have answers and really want to make sure that a buyer knows what to expect well before they take delivery.

ALRIGHT, that's it for the "KNOW THIS FIRST" stuff. Onto the next bit...

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This AMEK Angela inline console boasts a very uncommon 51-channel configuration, the largest that the company offered for this model. An overwhelming majority of these consoles were sold in the standard 28-frame, though you'll find some 36-bangers here and there. But the 51-frame like this one really isn't something AMEK sold/built/shipped with any regularity. We're talking "small handful" way back when, and there's not a lot of them still kicking around and complete almost 40 years later.

AMEK marketed the Angela to the "mid-level" facilities of the day, and to put it plainly, that sort of studio was not typically running two 24-track tape machines, didn't have a control room big enough to house a 10-foot console, and probably wasn't even making the sorts of records that would have required this many channels in the first place.

So then why do these big ones exist? Who were they built for? The few that I've seen in the flesh or found online all seem to come with their very own loosely-verified "originally built for Famous-1985-Person's private home studio!" story, and frankly, this makes the most sense to me. And you guessed it -- this console we've got here is no different. It's got an "originally built for Famous-1985-Person" story, though I'll not be publishing who that person supposedly is because, well, I can't verify it. If you're curious, you can hit me with a message here on Reverb and I'll give you some very blatant hints.

This one spent the last 25ish years in a wonderful family-run recording studio here in the Chicago area before being decommissioned last year. That studio just spent the last year doing a KILLER gut renovation and redesign, and being that I consider these folks family and have (well, had...) extra space in my studio's shop, I offered to store and sell the Angela and some other surplus gear so that it wasn't literally drinking dust and debris during heavy construction.

Electronic/functional things aside, the physical/optical condition of the console is actually very good for its age. Armrest in good shape save for one spot where it has ripped a bit, the modules aren't beat up, there's not a much in the way of worn and rubbed-out lettering on the faceplates, etc. There are a number of "frozen-in-time" potentiometers, funky switches, some snapped or missing plastic guide rails in the frame, all the things you'd expect from a 40-year-old analog desk, but this console was treated with respect throughout its life and it does show.

You should have no issues sourcing the parts necessary, in quantity, to service and repair this console. Audio Maintenance Limited in the UK is an incredible resource for all things AMEK and carries parts for the Angela and other AMEK consoles.

INCLUDED WITH THIS CONSOLE:

• 51x Model A10 Input modules
• 2x Model A20/21 Aux and Stereo Group modules
• 1x Model A30 Stereo Master Module
• Factory stand
• Wooden side cheeks (minus some of the fasteners for said side cheeks)
• 3 main power supplies (2x 2000 Series Power Units for the modules, plus 1 spare). Can supply one long PSU interconnect cable from my spares.
• 1 auxiliary power supply for the meterbridge. This smaller meterbridge PSU uses a 4-pin connector cable, and that cable is not included.
• Integrated patchbay
• 2x VERY RARE extender modules (!!!) which are paramount in servicing the console
• 2x custom-made speaker shelves which sit and slide atop the meterbridge
• Operator's/Technical manual (reprint)
• 24x 100mm audio taper Alps faders

This console does NOT come with any cabling / external wiring looms. The main stereo outputs, 2-track returns, control room and live room monitor outputs, and auxiliary I/O are on XLRs on the bottom panel under the patchbay, and all of the mic/line and multitrack I/O are on EDAC connectors. Get your crimp tool ready.

These are fantastic consoles. They are flexible, logically laid out, and sound great from input to output. The mic pres are mostly clean and 3D, the EQs can do almost everything you need them to do, and the whole system really does open up a bit when you push the levels into the master bus.

The listed price of this console is basically the market value of the 51 input modules, unserviced. This is a fair price for this much console, even in non-operating condition and considering the work that'll have to go into it. We will entertain offers if they're reasonable.

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Obviously, the "easiest" way to get this console after purchase is to come to Chicago with a box truck and take it out of here. We have a freight elevator and a truck-height loading dock. With that said, we are experienced in and able to build a shipping crate for this console and ship anywhere in the world at the buyer's expense.

Note that the $1000 shipping price on this listing is NOT VALID!!! and will NOT BE HONORED!!! Building the crate alone and the time involved in getting this thing secured inside of it is going to cost me a few hundred bucks before it ever sees the inside of a freight carrier's truck. If you are interested in crating and freighting this console, you'll want to let me know exactly where you are so that I can get some accurate shipping quotes and get you an offer with the correct shipping price.

Again, if you have ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL about this console, please do not hesitate to reach out. I'm here. I'm here for you. I'm here for all of us.