I dislike loudish hubs too but they can be useful for alerting people of your presence. I wouldn’t want louder than shimano and I’m not sure of anything else known to be quiet besides maybe some Onyx and DT Swiss hubs. I have a low end (Joytech?) hub that is stone silent, quieter than riding a fixed gear.
Campagnolo wheels with their CULT ceramic hubs are very quiet. I wish I knew before buying them because I do like a hub that is loud enough to let people on the riverside know I’m coming.
Report back: 5-6 rides on the new wheels and I like them because they feel stronger. Spoke tension, double walls, double butted spokes, plus 700x32 tires all make the wheels a little heavier and the ride a little slower. Could be psychological, but riding on rough roads doesn’t make me think about my wheels which was my original goal. I wanted to try touring in the mountains on rough roads without my spokes breaking. And I didn’t want to buy a second bike because space.
Also recommend the book Adventure Cycle Touring by Lord.