Simple enough.
I typically like the sound on, but I've found that if you want to get through a scenario against the AI quicker, I use the Faster AI Processing, which eliminates sounds.
Since I do most of my playing on my laptop during my lunches, I play with headphones. The coolest part of SB is hearing the background combat sounds while you're thinking about your next moves. The Vietnam and TOD sound don't thrill me as much, the sound of the bugs and the chattering of the VC voices can be distracting, but the others with the faint explosions, rifle shots and MG fire is really cool, I think.
I've always enjoyed the sounds in SB games and think they add a good deal to the immersion. So I unless I'm playing on my laptop in a cafe, I always have the sounds on.
I'm always trying to improve the sounds in my mods and use authentic sounds for each weapon and vehicle. Pretty well all the sounds are new. The incidental sounds, such as troops running and bullets cracking overhead are also taken from actual combat recordings. Sometimes, when a lot is happening during the course of a turn, it can sound pretty impressive. I've improved a number of my previous sound effects in SF too, hopefully making the experience even better.
So, as you might imagine, I voted 'On"! :)
I used to play a lot of Xbox late at night, in a one bedroom apartment, with my wife asleep next door, so I got used to sounds being off. Now it distracts me to have them on.
I always play with the combat sound on but have the backround sound off. Sound is one of the key factors in making the gaming experience enjoyable for me.
Another thread bump for the new guys.
I like the sound on ES for example, I keep the background sounds on also for this title. SB is missing the one thing I always turn off in all my games "music". I do not have the SB vietnams so do not have to deal with voices in the background...though unless it is a really, really long loop...I would probably turn it off. Its not simple making a good background sound loop. You got to make sure it is not too short of a loop to be irritatingly repetitive and also so smooth so you do not get an obvious disjointed sound or click when the loop repeats. Hats off to HPS.
Typically, sound off. If sound is on, it is the background sound.
I'd rather listen to music...
I always have the sound turned on much to my wife's chagrin. At least I have it on a setting low enough that I can barely hear it.
Since there's nobody here but me I leave the sound on. I have Iron X's new sound mod for ES installed (great work btw) & the sound mod for KW is installed as well. I do turn the sound down a bit for KW as I find the burp gun sound a little grating. The other sounds in the KW sound mod are great; it's just the burp gun sound that gets on my nerves a bit.
Sound on, sometimes with headphones on not to disturb other. Sometimes I also wish there was some music to go along with the battle sounds.