I've narrowed my stove choices down to 2: the Optimus Svea 123R or the MSR Whisperlite.
One of my criteria in choosing a stove is how loud it is, and I'm guessing most people aren't expecting their hiking experiences to include jet engine noise. I know the Whispterlite is quiet-ish, more of a hiss than an industrial roar, and the Svea is between "quiet dishwasher" and "stove exhaust fan" on loudness, but, bear in mind, this is my Personal Loudness Scale and Registration Department rating. I'm a part-time guitar tech who has gone to practice and balanced amp volume sans earplugs, and someone who routinely works around lawn mowers and weedeaters in the summer season, so I might be a bit off in my judgement of noise levels.
How big of an issue are loud stoves at shelters? Say the Svea, for example. Would that stove be considered "too loud" by enough people to warrant banishment? It's not a big issue, because I can always bring the Whisperlite, I just don't want to be "that dillweed with the loud stove".
I've considered alcohol stoves, but they don't quite work for me, because I'm lazy.