Yes, a Marantz 2285B Bluetooth connection needs no soldering. Best path: a Bluetooth receiver with RCA output into the AUX input (180 mV into 20 kOhm, per the factory manual's own specification table, the late-B impedance this generation documented). If AUX is taken, use a Tape loop. Rated 85 W/ch into 8 ohms, both channels driven, it is the strongest Marantz on this shelf.
Figures on this page were checked September 2026. Every table row carries its source.
The 2285B in numbers
| Item | Value | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Production run | 1977–1980 | Retailed with the WC-122-style cabinet option; approx. 2,100 DM in German lists | HW |
| Power output | 85 W/ch @ 8 Ω | Minimum continuous average, both channels driven, 20 Hz-20 kHz, below 0.05% RMS; 110 W into 4 ohms | SM, HW, CR |
| Phono inputs | 2 × 1.8 mV / 47 kΩ | S/N 78 dB at rated output; dubbing in/out jacks on the front panel per the service manual's exploded view | SM |
| Line inputs | 2 × Tape In · AUX | High level (Aux and Tape) 180 mV / 20 kOhm, the late-B specification confirmed by the factory table | SM, HW |
| Pre / Main | Pre out · Main in | Main In 1.5 V / 40 kOhm; jumpers per the Marantz convention | HW |
| Speakers | 2 pairs | Damping factor 40 at 8 ohms | HW |
| Weight | 17 kg | 340 W max power consumption | HW |
Source codes: SM Marantz 2285B service manual, U.S.A. specification table (archive.org manual_2285B_SM_MARANTZ_EN) · HW hifi-wiki.com · CR classicreceivers.com. Data as of September 2026.
Plugging into the 2285B
AUX input
RecommendedThe factory table gives the high-level inputs 180 mV into 20 kOhm, the late-B impedance that links this set to the 2226B and 2252B records. A line-level Bluetooth receiver with RCA output drives that 20 kOhm load easily.
Tape monitor loops
Good alternativeTwo tape in/out pairs sit at the same high-level spec, and dubbing in and out jacks on the front panel make deck-to-deck copies a selector-switch affair. Connect a Bluetooth unit to a loop's play jacks, flip Tape Monitor on to listen, and flip it back off for the other sources.
Phono inputs
Not for line-levelThe two MM phono stages are cartridge inputs at 1.8 mV. Bluetooth output at line level would overload them, and the turntables would lose their inputs.
2285B setup in three moves
- AUX gets Bluetooth
The tape loops and the dubbing jacks stay free for deck work; AUX carries the wireless source.
- Cable and pair
Bluetooth receiver RCA output to AUX, USB power for the receiver, and one pairing with your phone.
- Set the loudness
Volume down first, AUX on the selector, then raise it gradually. Where the adapter offers fixed/line output, that mode is preferred.
The fine print on the 2285B
- The strongest Marantz on the shelf (verified): 85 W/ch into 8 ohms below 0.05% distortion, triple-confirmed by the factory table, hifi-wiki and the period listing. Against this site's records it out-runs the 2270's 70 W and the 2252B's 52 W.
- The 20 kOhm AUX is a feature of the generation (verified): the factory table's 180 mV / 20 kOhm high-level spec matches the late-B pattern the 2226B and 2252B records already document, so the family now has three model-specific confirmations of the same convention.
- Dubbing built in (verified): the front panel's dubbing in and out jacks, shown in the service manual's exploded view, make deck-to-deck copies a selector-switch affair, leaving AUX and both tape loops free for everything else.
Kit for adding Bluetooth to the 2285B
- Bluetooth receiver with RCA output; LDAC or aptX HD first in line
- A 0.5–1 m run of RCA cable
- A USB power feed for the receiver
FAQ
Plug a Bluetooth receiver with RCA output into the AUX input and select AUX. If AUX is occupied, use a Tape In loop and press the Tape Monitor button. No internal modification is needed.
Per the factory specification table: the high-level inputs, Aux and Tape, take 180 mV into 20 kOhm, and the two phono inputs take 1.8 mV into 47 kOhm with a 78 dB signal-to-noise ratio. Main In is rated 1.5 V / 40 kOhm.
The factory table rates 85 W per channel into 8 ohms, minimum continuous average power, both channels driven across 20 Hz to 20 kHz below 0.05% distortion, with 110 W into 4 ohms. Period listings and hifi-wiki agree on the 85-watt figure.
That is the documented late-B convention: the B-generation Marantz receivers this archive covers, the 2226B, 2252B and now the 2285B, all specify 20 kOhm on their high-level inputs where the earlier non-B sets listed higher figures. Modern Bluetooth receivers drive it without any issue.
blafili B3 Bluetooth Music Receiver
RCA + XLR + optical out, LDAC and aptX HD, OLED status display. Matches the 2285B line-level inputs without adapters.
- Factory specification table (RATED POWER OUTPUT, minimum continuous average power per channel, both channels driven: 85 W, power band 20 Hz-20 kHz; High Level (Aux and Tape) input sensitivity 180 mV, input impedance 20 kohms; phono S/N 78 dB at rated output; Main In 1.5 V / 40 kOhm per hifi-wiki): Marantz 2285B service manual, U.S.A. model specification table (archive.org, identifier manual_2285B_SM_MARANTZ_EN), accessed 2026-09-25
- Production years 1977-1980, weight 17 kg, approx. 2,100 DM, 340 W max consumption, 2× Phono 1.8 mV / 47 kOhm, 2× Tape In and Aux 180 mV / 20 kOhm, 2× Tape Out, Pre Out, Dubbing In/Out, 2 speaker pairs, 85 W/ch at 8 ohms (110 W at 4 ohms) below 0.05% RMS, THD 0.05%, damping factor 40: hifi-wiki.com/index.php/Marantz_2285B, accessed 2026-09-25
- Model year 1977, 85 watts per channel: classicreceivers.com/marantz-2285b, accessed 2026-09-25