The effects of frequency response smoothness and stimulus‐type on the loudness discomfort level were examined. Two major questions were asked: (1) Does a smooth frequency response elicit a judgment of loudness discomfort at a higher sound pressure level than an irregular response? (2) Does a speech‐spectrum shaped noise elicit a judgment of loudness discomfort at a higher sound pressure level than a multitalker bubble? The irregular response consisted of five peaks, one‐third octave wide and 10 dB in amplitude. Both stimulus‐types were processed through a master hearing aid with the electroacoustic parameters set to either the smooth frequency response or the irregular frequency response, and then presented to 20 normal hearing subjects listening in the sound field at zero degrees azimuth. The stimulus intensity was manipulated according to a simple updown adaptive procedure [H. Levitt, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 49, 467–477 (1971)]. The smooth frequency response elicited loudness discomfort level judgments at significantly higher sound pressure levels. There was no significant difference in the measured loudness discomfort levels as a function of stimulus‐type. The dependence of results on the calibration procedure for both frequency response and stimulus‐type conditions will be discussed.