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The Roman philosopher Seneca made a similar point about non-continuous noise.

"Among the noises that sound around me but do not distract me, I count passing carriages, a carpenter somewhere in the building, a nearby saw grinder, and that fellow who demonstrates flutes and trumpets near the Meta Sudans, not so much playing them as bellowing. Even now I find noises that recur at intervals more bothersome than a continuous drone."

You can find more of his thoughts on the matter including his wonderful description of living above a bathhouse in Letter 56 to Lucilius.