Steve Sola and Plain Truth Entertainment Stay Ahead of the Curve with JBL by HARMAN 7 Series Studio Monitors

February 19, 2019

With over 25 years of experience producing and mixing hit records, Steve Sola’s impressive list of credits includes records by Mobb Deep, Nas, Eminem, Method Man, Jodeci, Tran-Siberian Orchestra and many more. In addition to his production career, Sola owns Plain Truth Entertainment, a thriving commercial studio located in New York City which has been ground zero for some of the biggest records of the past two decades. Never one to rest on his laurels, Sola decided it was time to upgrade the studio’s near-field monitors in order to keep Plain Truth moving forward with new innovations in loudspeaker technology. After conducting some careful market research, Sola chose to outfit Plain Truth’s control room with JBL 708P powered monitors. 

“I’ve been using JBL in different studios since I was a kid,” said Sola. “I felt it was time to upgrade my studio monitors and JBL is an iconic brand. My first reaction to the JBL 708P’s sound quality was that it’s smooth—there are no spikes or harshness. For that reason, it’s not as fatiguing as other monitors. For a smaller speaker, I’m surprised with how tight the low end is. I can turn off my sub and still get a good low frequency response from just the 708Ps.” 

Sola and his engineer staff often put in long hours to ensure top quality for everything that comes out of Plain Truth. The studio’s new JBL 708P monitors provide Sola with the power and clarity needed to craft powerhouse mixes for legendary clients without becoming fatigued during long mix sessions.  

“I like to mix at pretty conservative levels—it’s very fatiguing when it’s just loud all the time,” continued Sola. “On the other hand, artists usually want to hear how the track sounds at loud volumes. The 708Ps sound very smooth at a lower volume, but they also sound smooth when I crank them up!” 

Plain Truth Entertainment has experienced steady growth even while other major studios in NYC have closed their doors. Sola attributes much of his success in the business to being inspired by evolving technologies and willing to adapt to industry shifts.

“I’ve always tried to look into the future and see what’s coming next—that’s something I share in common with JBL,” concluded Sola. “In the early years of digital recording, I embraced that change—it’s important to stay on the cutting edge. I recently refurbished my analog eight-track and still love to use it to get a certain sound, but if you get stuck in that world, you’re going to be left behind.”