Ross Lovegrove likens himself to "an evolutionary biologist, more than a designer," but it seems as if recently he's been dabbling in particle physics. During last year's Milan Furniture Fair, KEF Audio launched the state-of-the-art "Muon" speaker that it created in partnership with Lovegrove. The swoonworthy speakers, which the industrial designer describes as "a large anatomical object that has a definite one-on-one human relationship," will be the centerpiece of the Ligne Roset Lounge at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show next week at New York City's Pier 94. A pair of Muon speakers will also be featured at the show's March 6 opening night bash, with ticket sales benefiting our friends at The Alpha Workshops.

Named for a negatively charged, unstable elemental particle that weighs only a wee bit more than an electron, the Muon loudspeaker was created to be "the ultimate in sound quality and design innovation." It is made from super-formed aluminum and stands about seven feet tall. The front-mounted, four-way speaker system featured powerful bass drivers (two more are mounted in the back) and oodles of proprietary technology. The Muon can be yours, if you act fast (only 100 were made), for $140,000. But it goes down easier if you think of it as a $70,000 sculpture that happens to come with a $70,000 built-in sound system.