In Milford on Sea, Hampshire, homeowners Simon and Amy Davies spent almost a decade transforming a derelict mill into a distinctive family home – and finished it with a BluOS multi-room audio system built from Bluesound and NAD Electronics products.
Three buildings, now connected by an elegant glass extension, combine their original architectural character with contemporary luxury living. To complete the renovation, the hi-fi enthusiasts installed a BluOS-based multi-zone audio system, choosing exactly the right device for how each zone is used. This allowed them to overcome the property's unusual layout while delivering high-quality music throughout all three historic buildings.
Watch a full interview with homeowners Simon and Amy Davies about the Old Mill project.
Why the Old Mill was a challenge for whole-home audio
The property's scale and construction created a demanding environment. "A lot of the house is open plan, with large glass walls connecting the three buildings together," Simon Davies explains. The complex layout, glass surfaces and hard flooring meant the building did not naturally lend itself to high-quality sound.
A traditional, centrally racked system wasn't practical across the whole property. "Typically, an audio installation would have a central location where the equipment is housed in a rack," Davies says. "While we were able to achieve a scaled-down version of this in one section of the house, it would not work across the entire premises."
Instead, the system needed to distribute audio reliably across all three buildings using wired and wireless network connections. "Using the BluOS multi-room software platform as the backbone and products from both NAD and Bluesound, we were able to create a flexible system that could reach every part of the property without the complexities often associated with multizone systems."
The system: the right streaming amplifier for each space
At the centre of the installation is a set of compact streaming amplifiers, each selected for the needs of its space:
- Lounge: an NAD CI SA2-120 drives four loudspeakers across its dual outputs, configured as a fixed multi-player group so the room appears as a single zone in the BluOS app.
- Kitchen and garden room: a second CI SA2-120 operates as a two-zone player. The kitchen has also been upgraded with a pair of Gallo Strada loudspeakers.
- Outdoor kitchen: a Bluesound POWERNODE EDGE streaming amplifier, with a Bluesound HUB capturing TV audio for playback through BluOS.
- Bar and games room: further POWERNODE EDGE amplifiers, plus an NAD C 700 V2 driving Gallo Acoustics ceiling-mounted speakers in the bar.
- Bass: Bluesound PULSE SUB+ subwoofers add low-frequency extension in several spaces.
"The amplifiers are at the heart of the system," Davies continues. "They're compact and understated, without large displays or complicated controls. Everything is very simple and thoughtfully designed." Rather than hiding the equipment, the homeowners chose to make it part of the interior.
One app to control the whole house
"The BluOS app interface is the heart of the control ecosystem," Davies says. "Once a system is installed, the interface is the bit you have to live with, so it makes sense that it simplifies what would otherwise be a very complex system."
With the BluOS app, Simon and Amy can move music between rooms or group spaces depending on how the house is being used. Music can follow them through the property, while individual zones stay available for anyone who wants to listen to something different.
A dedicated cinema in the Old Mill
The Old Mill – arguably the most important building on the site – has been transformed into a dedicated cinema with a projector, an acoustically transparent screen and a multichannel surround system using Gallo Acoustics loudspeakers. "It is acoustically treated by natural wood fibre insulation on the walls, covered with black felt, which allows the building to breathe," says Davies. "The density and the fabric have created a perfect acoustic environment, making this particular space ideal for a cinema and hi-fidelity music room setup."
The cinema is driven by an NAD T 778 AV Surround Sound Receiver in a 7.2.2 Dolby Atmos configuration, delivering immersive movie sound while keeping access to the same BluOS music experience used throughout the house.
"The NAD T 778 is an incredible piece of equipment because it has BluOS, which enables it to be integrated into the rest of the multi-room system, as well as being a standalone cinema receiver," adds Davies. "Another neat feature is Dirac Room Correction. While the room already has very good acoustics, I was able to use Dirac to get further improvements. It was very simple to do using the supplied microphone and their app – everything just sounds cleaner and more balanced."
The Snug: a soundbar that moves with the TV
The Snug is a more relaxed space for TV and films, so it needed more impact without a conventional wired speaker system. A Bluesound PULSE CINEMA soundbar is fixed to the television bracket, keeping the audio aligned with the screen as it is repositioned. Paired with a PULSE SUB+, it adds deeper bass and Dolby Atmos playback while remaining part of the home's wider BluOS network.
"Audio brings the home to life"
After an intensive eight-year renovation, Simon and Amy can now enjoy music the way they always hoped – from radio in the morning to TV, gaming and dedicated cinema listening. "The system has helped the house finally come alive," Davies says. "When we wake up in the morning, we like to have gentle music in the background. The beauty of the BluOS platform is that it comes with a number of free service providers that give you access to just about every radio station you could imagine, and it can connect with almost all major music streaming platforms."
The finished installation reflects the same care that shaped the wider renovation: high-quality technology, thoughtfully integrated and simple to enjoy. "It's not just a building anymore, but a home," Davies concludes. "Audio brings the home to life."
Frequently asked questions
Can BluOS cover a large home without a central equipment rack?
Yes. In the Old Mill, compact NAD and Bluesound streaming amplifiers were placed where they were needed and connected over wired and wireless networks, with BluOS tying every zone together in one app.
Can an AV receiver be part of a BluOS multi-room system?
Yes. The NAD T 778 has BluOS built in, so it works both as a standalone 7.2.2 Dolby Atmos cinema receiver and as a zone in the home's multi-room music system.
Which NAD and Bluesound products were used in this project?
Two NAD CI SA2-120 streaming amplifier modules, an NAD C 700 V2, an NAD T 778 AV receiver, Bluesound POWERNODE EDGE amplifiers, a Bluesound HUB, a PULSE CINEMA soundbar and PULSE SUB+ subwoofers, with Gallo Acoustics loudspeakers.
Key takeaways
- The challenge: three historic buildings joined by a glass extension, with open-plan spaces, glass walls and hard floors – too spread out for a single central equipment rack.
- The solution: a BluOS-based whole-home system using compact NAD and Bluesound streaming amplifiers chosen room by room, connected over wired and wireless networks.
- The cinema: an NAD T 778 AV receiver runs a 7.2.2 Dolby Atmos system with Dirac Room Correction, while staying part of the same BluOS multi-room network.
- Everyday control: everything is managed from one BluOS app, so music can follow the family through the house or play independently in each zone.
