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.
Spec snapshot
| 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.
Where to connect
AUX input
RecommendedOne always-active high-level input at 180 mV into 20 kOhm per the factory table, the late-B impedance that ties the 2285B to the 2226B and 2252B records in this archive. Any line-level Bluetooth receiver with RCA output drives it cleanly.
Tape monitor loops
Good alternativeTwo tape in/out pairs at the same high-level spec, with dubbing in and out jacks on the front panel for a recorder. Feed a loop's play jacks, select Tape Monitor to listen, and switch it back off for the other sources.
Phono inputs
Not for line-levelThe two MM phono stages expect a cartridge's 1.8 mV. Line-level Bluetooth output would overload them, and the turntables would lose their inputs.
Set up in three steps
- Pick AUX
Keep the tape loops free for recorders; AUX is the natural Bluetooth home.
- Connect and power
Bluetooth receiver RCA out to AUX, USB power attached, pair once with your phone.
- Level check
Volume low, select AUX, then raise. Fixed/line output on the adapter if it offers the option.
Quirks and notes
- 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.
What you need
- Bluetooth receiver with RCA output, LDAC or aptX HD preferred
- 0.5–1 m RCA cable
- USB power 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