We have had a 3500/4000 for 3 years now and it really is the best bang for the buck out there. Quieter than most open frames and easier to start than a Honda 2000. We use ours in the boonies away from others and once inside the noise is just a hum but then again so was the Honda 3000is that was next to us last year.
The best thing about it for us was by NOT blowing the budget on a inverter solution, I was able to set us up for solar. Now the Champ is only needed for AC (not often) and is usually the quietest generator in the area.