Originally Posted by JRat

I agree that if you've already got a 56T chainring and no very steep hills then it would be best to keep that chainring.

Any of gears 1 to 7 of a Rohloff hub are noisier than gears 8 to 14 as an extra set of gears is used to create the low range. However, 7 tends to be the noisiest as it is effectively overdrive low range and involves both the low range gears and a freewheel mechanism. The sound difference between 7 and 8 provides a useful way of knowing which gear you are in without looking at the shifter. The gear noise reduces with use. My No. 1 Rohloff bike is approaching 10,000km and the gears have become much quieter which is very noticeable when compared with the much newer Birdy Rohloff.

Probably the best English discussion about Rohloff hubs is at Rohloff Internal Hub Gears .