I've paid a lot of attention to the standard game sounds, adjusting the engine noise so it's _just_ loud enough to hear the subtleties when I have the master volume cranked WAY up. Most other sounds are kept very low, too, so nothing is too loud in routine situations. But I have a few things set to REALLY be heard when I have emergencies like bullets slamming into my beloved P38, or wind noise and fuselage stresses, etc. I love the way my heart leaps right out of my chest sometimes, with the dynamic violence of the simulated experience. When carefully optimized, AH sounds can significantly increase sensory input to the pilot, increasing competitiveness and situation awareness. For me and my fun, I don't want any background music interfering with that. Sound is a tactical weapon, just as useful as flaps or view zooming, etc. I don't want to waste it....
Just my way of thinkin'
-Peabody-