I got hooked on suppressors with a Huntertown 22 can at the range it sounded like a pellet gun ,then snowballed from there. There is no rational reason for them to be on the NFA list, except too much government.
The "hoops" are much less of a PITA than they used to be. Silencer Shop has pretty much made it a turn key process for the buyer. They do all the work for you.I got to shoot an internally suppressed Ruger 10/22 and a suppressed .22 pistol (I forget which model). Fun! As you said, it sounded like a pellet gun.
I agree about them being on the NFA list. And, it's the main reason I don't (and won't) have one. I'm just not interested in jumping through the hoops. I like suppressors, of course, for all the usual and obvious reasons. But, I won't jump through the hoops.