It's more than just quiet. Having a totally open work space creates a lot of visual distractions as well. People walking around you all the time is far more distracting than the noise in my experience.
I believe you are speaking for yourself, now. On the contrary, I find open space much better. I like to see people around me. Talk to them. Exchange ideas. And if I want to keep to myself, I just put on the headphones. That also contradicts the "silence" argument. I'd gone mad in a silent environment. I need a music. It's all really individual and one definite answer does not exist.