Ever heard a 2 stroke Detroit (GM) up close? they also Rev higher than most diesels as well. Neat engine but a real screamer.
Always thought our Case Agri King had a very quiet 6.6 liter 6 cylinder turbo diesel Have a T250 Bobcat with a Kubota V3300 DIT in the extended family and imo it is real quiet and smooth. My China rhino tractor 495A is also quiet except for the gears that drive the injector pump and cam, straight cut so they whine which is what can be heard at a distance, but the diesel engine has virtually no rattle/knock at all.
Always wondered whether it was the piston bowl design or maybe being a dry liner engine.
It is interesting how some direct injected diesels are quiet while others are knockers, older Cummins , Yanmar and Shibaura all come to mind as rattlers at idle, but some very long lived reliable engines.
Heck even a 1 year difference in the same basic diesel engine makes a difference in how it "sounds."
I have a 2003 RAM with 5.9 Cummins Turbo diesel. Wife has a 2004 RAM, Cummins made a few changes in the engine pistons and other changes like injector timing and pulse width events in the 5.9.
Her engine is significantly quieter running than mine.