Abstract The use of close-packed channel arrays of fixed length-to-diameter ratios for high-accuracy angle definition of approximately 1.0° in angle-resolved electron spectroscopy is considered. Experimental angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron data was obtained using three channel arrays: two stainless-steel tube arrays with ± 1.5° and ± 3.0° resolution and a glass micro-channel plate with ± 1.4° resolution. Considerable additional fine structure is seen in both valence- and core-level data obtained with high angular resolution. These channel arrays are not found to distort spectral features or backgrounds, although the relative intensities of very low energy secondaries are reduced. Absolute core- and valence-intensities are found to be reduced by factors of ~ 1 20 – 1 50 compared to standard operation of the spectrometer. Model calculations of the performance of such arrays have been performed to yield both the overall luminosity, or integrated solid angle-area product, and the average deflection angle passed by the array. These calculations are compared with experimental data on relative intensities and found to be in good agreement, provided that additional losses in the lens and analyzer for trajectories at greater deflection angles are properly accounted for. In general, the experimental loss of intensity with a channel array is found to be significantly less than predicted theoretically with the neglect of these additional losses. The deflection angles in such arrays are found to be peaked off the array axis by an amount equal to ca. 0.43–0.47 times the maximum deflection angle; this value also represents the average deflection angle. General results for use in determining the performance of any channel array as to both luminosity and average deflection angle are also presented.