Adky,
I have a great deal of experience from the Angela consoles, back to the 1980`s when the first blue version come out on the market. (very nice colour on the module panel and knobs)
Then I have also built together two 24 inputs console to one big 48 input console, with new cable system (total 2000 meters), ground and power system, patchbay, Edac multi connectors.
You can see some pictures here:
Angela console under work
Angela console finished
Amek Angela are a great sounding console thanks to the microphone amp and equaliser that have a very good design, otherwise it have a usual design similar to the mostly of British consoles from this time, with op-amps as NE5532/34, TL071/72/74, configurated as active balanced inputs and un-balanced outputs with out buffer etc.
As says earlier here, you get a lot of better sound, if you remove all VCA`s, and connect the faders in the normal audio patch.
And of course, there are thousands of bad electrolytic capasitor that is a must to replace, to get a tight bottom and open mid/high end, it is a hell of work, but it is difinite worth all this "blood sweat & tears"
Regarding maintenance.
A good thing is that the console have a mother board and modules have card connectors, (not ribbon cables)
and also the underside of the motherboard are easy to reach from the underside of the console.
But a bad thing is that a lot of potentiometers and swithes hide the soldering for each other, so it is a lot of work when you must replace a pot or a switch. (or some other components)
Besides the Amek 2500, I think Angela and the (TAC) Magnum are the best consoles comparision quality/money from Amek through the years.
--Bo