Identifying a sound evokes a thought, a memory, a concept. Rain is not the sound of rain. The sound is a sound. Identifying the sound as rain involves remembering the learned concept of rain.
Sit comfortably.
Listen to the sounds.
Which sounds can you identify?
Which sounds are just sounds without names?
These sounds create no thoughts.
Sounds can occur without thoughts.
Thoughts can occur without sounds.
Sounds can occur with identifying thoughts.
Can you feel the difference between these?