Yes, a Yamaha CR-820 Bluetooth connection needs no soldering. Best path: a Bluetooth receiver with RCA output into the AUX input (120 mV into 45 kOhm, per the owner's manual). If AUX is taken, use one of the two Tape loops. Rated 55 W/ch into 8 ohms, it is the middle child of the CR line this site documents from the 800 to the 1000.
Figures on this page were checked September 2026. Every table row carries its source.
The numbers behind the CR-820
| Item | Value | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Production run | 1977–1979 | Approx. 1,200 DM in German lists; 400 W max consumption | HW, CR |
| Power output | 55 W/ch @ 8 Ω | Continuous RMS, both channels driven at 1 kHz; 70 W into 4 ohms | OM, CR, HW |
| Phono inputs | 2 × 2 mV / 50 kΩ | Maximum input 120 mV at 1 kHz, per the manual | OM |
| Line inputs | AUX · 2 × Tape | AUX and both Tape inputs at 120 mV / 45 kOhm; Rec Out 120 mV | OM |
| Speakers | 2 pairs | Damping factor 40; S/N 97 dB per the reference sheet | HW |
Source codes: OM Yamaha CR-820 user manual (archive.org manualsbase-id-50199) · HW hifi-wiki.com · CR classicreceivers.com. Data as of September 2026.
The CR-820's input map
AUX input
RecommendedThe owner's manual puts AUX and both tape inputs at 120 mV into 45 kOhm, a sensitivity position between the Sansui and Marantz sets documented on this site. Any line-level Bluetooth receiver with RCA output drives it cleanly.
Tape monitor loops
Good alternativeBoth tape inputs carry the same 120 mV line spec, and Rec Out gives a deck a 120 mV feed. Wire the Bluetooth unit to a loop's play side, choose that input on the monitor, and drop the monitor back to off afterwards.
Phono inputs
Not for line-levelTwo phono stages at 2 mV clip by 120 mV, a tight ceiling the manual prints at 1 kHz. Bluetooth output at line level would overload both stages, and the turntables would lose their inputs.
Three steps to Bluetooth on the CR-820
- Settle on AUX
The two tape loops stay open for decks; AUX is the adapter's input.
- Attach and pair
The Bluetooth receiver's RCA output goes into AUX, USB power keeps it running, and your phone pairs once.
- Listen at low volume first
Volume down, AUX selected, then raise. Prefer fixed/line output on the adapter when offered.
What to watch on the CR-820
- Manual-anchored, mid-line placement (verified): the owner's manual supplies the input table directly, and the CR-820's 55 W/ch sits exactly where period coverage places it, between this site's CR-800 and CR-1000 profiles.
- The 45 kOhm AUX (verified): at 120 mV into 45 kOhm, the CR-820 shares the CR-800's AUX impedance and runs more sensitive than both siblings' 150 mV inputs; only the CR-1000's AUX goes lower, at 40 kOhm.
- A tight phono ceiling (verified): the manual's 120 mV phono maximum at 1 kHz is on the strict side for the era, which is a note for turntable owners as much as for Bluetooth planners.
What you need for the CR-820
- Bluetooth receiver with RCA output; LDAC or aptX HD are the preferred codecs
- RCA cable, 0.5–1 m long
- A USB outlet to power the receiver
FAQ
Plug a Bluetooth receiver with RCA output into the AUX input and select AUX. If AUX is taken, use a Tape input through the tape monitor. No internal modification is needed.
Per the owner's manual: AUX and both Tape inputs take 120 mV into 45 kOhm, and the two phono inputs take 2 mV into 50 kOhm, with a 120 mV maximum at 1 kHz on phono. Rec Out is documented at 120 mV.
The manual rates continuous RMS power at 55 W per channel into 8 ohms and 70 W into 4 ohms, both channels driven at 1 kHz. Period coverage repeats the 55-watt figure for the 1977-1979 run.
It sits between them in the line documented on this site: more power than the CR-800, less than the CR-1000 flagship, with the same two-phono, two-tape, one-AUX input layout the CR-800 profile describes.
blafili B3 Bluetooth Music Receiver
RCA + XLR + optical out, LDAC and aptX HD, OLED status display. Matches the CR-820 line-level inputs without adapters.
- Rated power (continuous RMS 55 W per channel into 8 ohms, 70 W into 4 ohms, both channels driven at 1 kHz), input sensitivity/impedance (Phono 2 mV / 50 kOhm, maximum 120 mV at 1 kHz; AUX, Tape 1 and 2 at 120 mV / 45 kOhm; Rec Out 120 mV): Yamaha CR-820 user manual (archive.org, identifier manualsbase-id-50199), accessed 2026-09-25
- Production years 1977-1979, 400 W power consumption, approx. 1,200 DM, input/output lineup (2 Phono, 2 Tape, Aux; 2 speaker pairs), damping factor 40, S/N 97 dB: hifi-wiki.com/index.php/Yamaha_CR-820, accessed 2026-09-25
- On the market from around 1977 to 1979, 55 watts per channel into 8 ohms, noted for low distortion ratings: classicreceivers.com/yamaha-cr-820, accessed 2026-09-25