TORONTO, CANADA, JUNE 15, 2026 - When a family home in Harrogate was completely rebuilt from the ground up, the owners wanted an audio system that could elevate everyday living and match the quality of the newly transformed space. To address this challenge, they turned to Bradford-based Smart Control Engineers Limited to create a seamless, intuitive experience. Using BluOS and NAD Electronics as the backbone of the design, SCE’s Smart Building Control specialist Christopher Ettenfield delivered a flexible multi-room system that blends reliability, exceptional sound quality, and integrates with the home’s broader control ecosystem.
The stunning property spans three floors and features a basement cinema, gym, car showroom with a lift system, and multiple open-plan living areas. “The customer originally came to me to install KNX heating and lighting,” explains Ettenfield. “From there, the project grew. They wanted audio throughout the home, and that’s when BluOS came into the picture.” The decision was made to configure six audio zones with NAD CI 720 V2 amplification in each space—the kitchen, snug, lounge, bar, master bedroom, and ensuite— to ensure smooth audio flow across the most used areas of the home.
The CI 720 V2 networked stereo zone amplifier features the BluOS operating system, allowing users to access, control, and stream music playlists to all six zones using simple app commands. The amplifier’s rack-mount design makes installation and ongoing maintenance straightforward, while its highly efficient energy-saving amplifier and thermostatic fan cooling provide enhanced reliability.
BluOS sits at the heart of the house’s mixed ecosystem, integrated with Control4, KNX, and a Blustream video-distribution system. “The beauty of BluOS is that it runs on its own but still integrates nicely. It means the customer can always play music even if another system has an issue.” The homeowner typically uses the system to listen to Spotify, Tidal and BBC Radio 1, as well as to enhance TV and streaming audio. KNX glass-fronted keypads provide volume control in key rooms. “They even work with wet hands,” Ettenfield says, “which is ideal in bathrooms and kitchens.”
In the dedicated cinema room, an NAD T 778 receiver powers a full Dolby Atmos audio system. “The touchscreen on the front is so useful. In other jobs, the amp might be 100 metres away in a server room. Being able to set everything up right on the rack saves hours.”
The T 778 also uses Dirac Live room correction, which Ettenfield strongly endorses. “Dirac made a huge difference. Before calibration the bass and subs felt flat—afterward the room just came alive. It tunes the system to the room perfectly.” The client is particularly impressed with the cinema’s transformation, commenting, “the sound is fantastic, it feels like we are in a real cinema!”
This project marked Ettenfield’s first use of Dante, routing audio from the various TVs across the property back to a central equipment rack. From there, the signals were integrated into the BluOS ecosystem using Dante-to-optical converters, which fed into the NAD CI 720 V2s. “We wanted a rack you could pull out and work on without fighting a huge bundle of cables,” he explains. “With Dante, we’re down to about a dozen cables. Without it, we’d be at twenty-plus.”
“Setup is incredibly straightforward. It’s a dream for integrators compared to other systems that clutter a rack and make installation much harder.” The overall system seamlessly fulfils the technical demands of a high-end smart home while remaining easy to use, reliable, and simple to service. Following the success of this project, the NAD and BluOS configuration is something Smart Control Engineers Limited plans to continue specifying in future home projects, setting the benchmark for how modern multi-room audio can be designed.
With the two-year project now complete, the homeowners can enjoy an intuitive, whole-home listening experience that enhances everyday life—from casual audio in the kitchen and snug, to movie nights in the cinema room. "We use it every day, whether it’s boosting the TV audio or listening to our favourite radio stations. The sound quality is great in every room,” the homeowner explains. “What we enjoy most is the convenience of being able to play what we want, when we want, as we move through the house, and being able to group zones for parties. It’s far easier than using standalone systems and has genuinely improved how we watch TV and listen to music. We love it!"
The installation achieves exactly what the rebuild set out to create: a modern home where great sound is always available, always simple, and always enjoyable.
Step inside the luxury home and watch an interview with Christopher Ettenfield here.
ABOUT BluOS™
BluOS™ is a premium multi-room audio ecosystem that manages stored and cloud music sources and playback, with support for high-resolution audio streams up to 24/192. Adopted by some of the most renowned hifi audio brands and integrated with numerous smarthome and voice control systems, BluOS allows for interoperability among enabled devices across brands for maximum versatility and use cases. Integrations with popular streaming music services like Tidal, Spotify, and Deezer, as well as featuring support for FLAC, WAV, MQA, and other high-resolution formats and codecs, BluOS offers virtually unlimited access to music of all genres for any occasion. Made up of an operating system and a control application for smart phones, tablets, and PC desktops, BluOS is the ultimate choice for the modern audiophile. Visit https://www.bluos.io for more.
ABOUT NAD ELECTRONICS
Founded in 1972 and now sold in over 80 countries, NAD Electronics is renowned for its award-winning line of high-quality components for audio, home theatre and custom installation applications. Since the beginning, NAD’s commitment to four core values – innovation, simplicity, performance, and value – have earned it a cult-like following that catapulted it to becoming a household name amongst audiophiles and music lovers alike. To this day, the brand continues to design and manufacture some of the most acclaimed and affordable hi-fi components that include modern features and technologies meant to appeal to a new generation of audiophiles. Visit nadelectronics.com for more.
CONTACTS
Sally Cossins
Marketing, Lenbrook Media Group
media@lenbrook.com
Scott Wicks
Marketing and Communications, NAD Electronics
media@nadelectronics.com
UK Media Relations
Claire Rollins (Copper Leaf Media)
claire.rollins@copperleaf.media
