How loud is your engine?

I am talking about from inside the car while driving. I have a five speed and 1.6L VTEC and maybe I am just not used to Honda's being that this is the first one that I have ever owned, but when you get up over 3500 rpm, its starts getting pretty loud. Also, it seems to sound real smooth up to about 3000 and over 4000, but in between it sounds different. Its hard to describe, but it makes a noticeably different sound in that speed range. Is this normal? Also, for those with 5-speeds and this engine, where do you normally shift? I have noticed that it seems to shift a lot smoother when you rev it up to about 4000, but much more than that and you feel like your drag racing or something.