My humble hopinion is that one's musical experience is reciprocal. You will always only get out of music only as much as you are willing to invest in it (or anything else for that matter). One's musical willingness is tempered by, among other things, the richness (or poorness) of your previous experiences plus your natural aptitudes and inclinations (or lack thereof). A combination of 'nature' and 'nurture' makes one more 'willing' and 'able' to listen well.
If your heredity and experience endows you with a butterknife, your ability to participate in certain experiences is attenuated. Although it can be sharpened, (Biosphere and some of the finest musicians of every sort can certainly improve the dullest ears and brains - if willing), a butterknife will always remain limited and more suited to dining. Which is not to say that being the sensual equivalent of a dull, short article of tableware wielded by children and oldsters in addition to artists, cannot be useful and rewarding. T'ant pis. If your heredity and experience endows you with a sword, it too can be sharpened (Biosphere and some of the finest musicians of every sort speak to and can certainly improve the keenest ears and brains - if willing) but is not suited for dining, and you are again, limited to where it can be used.
It all comes down to what one can do and what one chooses to do with one's tools, and not so much the size or quality of the tools, but to take advantage of the cracks and crevices laid out into which they can be plied and poked, and the willingness to make the most of what one is given.
No matter what kind of music is in question, the key here I think is to be 'willing' to listen. If you are, many musical experiences are rewarding (except of course those that are not - IMHO most of the Western world's Top 40 pop for the last 30 years – this is more evidence that some music can actually become more repulsive the more sensitive one is!} Ambient music is just one of the many aesthetic choices an adventurous and sensitive listener can probe with their enlarged musical tools.
En garde!
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