One thing your going to have to remember, the playing field is now the same for everyone.
No more getting a bit of advantage by turning engine noise off, so you could here the enemy coming,etc.
Its a level playing field, like it or not.
The effects and enviorments sliders work fine for reducing noise so you can hear yourself think, or hear people on vox.
I suspect we are just scratching the surface of what the new system will let us do however.
Give it some time.
Playing AH has always been about adapting to change. And hopefully, always will be.