Under normal circumstances, it’s challenging to quantify whether and how a speaker’s appearance factors into the buying decision. Sure, some speakers look “nice,” but most consumers are happy when their system fades into the background.

The Pantheone Audio team, however, most definitely wants the Pantheone I front-and-center in any home it enters. They specifically bill the speaker not only as a piece of audio tech but as sculpture and art. Whether it succeeds here is subjective, so we’ll just say the Pantheone I feels like a good fit for ultramodern and minimalist home aesthetics and leave it at that.

For sound, Pantheone drew inspiration from the oculus of the Pantheon in Rome. The speaker’s sculpted sides aren’t just for looks: they allowed Pantheone to avoid junction part lines, which gives the speaker rigidity that improves acoustic wave management. The result is a robust, immersive listening experience that Pantheone equates to bringing the musician home.

In other words, the Pantheone I sounds as impressive as a $2,800 speaker should, despite the relatively low wattage output. Wifi, AUX, and Bluetooth 4.2 connections make it easy to start the party, while the Pantheone app allows users to synchronize their music across several speakers or give each room a distinct soundtrack. Pantheone believes everything that people own should be exquisite, and on the sonic front, the Pantheone I delivers in spades. As for its form, well … great art drives debate, no?

In other tech news, see the Lenovo Rolling Laptop Concept.