The performance of most modern winter tires match, or even exceed, the performance of their studded counterparts. Studs only excel on ice, which we honestly don't see much of.
That said, we run studs on our 2wd van because the added comfort on ice far outweighs the reduced traction in other scenarios.
Also, you guys just need to drive louder cars. I only notice the noise of the studs when I'm driving slow with the windows down or if I have the window down and drive beside a jersey barrier. If the windows are up it's nothing but wind noise and rattles. Hell, our studded winters are quieter than the hum from the all terrains in the summer.
