A train station away from Sydney CBD, Kings Cross has been central to — or played a leading hand in — virtually every music genre and cultural shift that has emerged from Australia’s shores.

It’s a free wheeling, free dealing, unrestrained entrepot of entertainment. Or is it? Certainly it was … but these days there’s a very noticeable gentrification around the Cross, the roughest edges are less sharp, the vibe less loud, the action less fast.

Charlie Saleh has been running businesses in the Cross for 15 years; he possesses a rare understanding of the pulse, the humanity and the commerce that comprises the rich tapestry of the place.

He’s also very representative of the cultural shift. His place, the legendry Ice Box, home to some of the

wildest live music and club nights, recently underwent an extreme makeover transforming from a

hot sweaty venue to a swanky split-level club/ café/restaurant.

The new place is called Sapphire Suite and it’s a product of the Kings Cross Partnership — a local chamber of commerce initiative.

“I knew conceptually where we were headed,” comm-ented Charlie. “Kings Cross Partnership contributed with experts who helped with interior design, operational workflows and maximising the effectiveness of our limited space.”

With a sweep of his hand that takes in the huge wooden bar, complete with water feature, the plush booth seating, the elegant fixtures and the extravagant menu, he adds, “As you can see the result is magnificent.

“The last thing we were prepared to compromise on was audio,” he continued. “Let’s face it, audio is one of the key components in the vibe and feel of a place. Even if you were tempted to, and I wasn’t, skimping on audio quality in the era of quality hi-fi and iPods is commercial suicide. People know the difference.”

In the main restaurant/bar area eight diminutive yet extremely powerful Martin Audio Blackline F8’s (8in 2-way’, line the walls, with a single Blackline S15 plumbing the depths. The front café/bar is covered by four EM15’s, with a further three securing the rear door/ entrance lobby. Background music feeds the washrooms, kitchen and hallways.

These separate zones and the multifunctional operation of Sapphire Club could be all too much for an ordinary system controller but not Allen & Heaths’ DR66. With a little programming stored settings now enable bar staff to move from coffee shop, to sophisticated café, to wine and dine, to club, all at the push of a carefully labelled button.

The system was designed by Anthony Russo of Technical Audio Group, with installation and set-up by DMC. “With the Sapphire’s superb interior design our objective was to produce great sound but visually stay out of the way,” commented Anthony. “The F8’s gave us the flexibility to do just that.”

Outside the footpaths are being widened, jackhammers are working on a renovation up the road and a couple of the ‘beautiful people’ await a table. Almost Dylan-esque, Charlie comments: “The times they are a changing.”