For individuals having high‐frequency sensorineural hearing loss, restoring the audibility of the entire speech spectrum via amplification [maximizing the articulation index (AI)] can require a frequency‐gain characteristic with 25 dB or more gain at high than at low frequencies. Contrary to AI predictions, both Skinner [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 67, 306–317 (1980)] and Rankovic [Ph.D. thesis, University of Minnesota (1989)] have shown that this type of amplification is associated with a reduction in speech intelligibility scores (rollover) when compared to conditions having less relative high‐frequency gain. Since normal‐hearing subjects also demonstrate this effect, we tried to determine whether the degradation for them is due to the strong and abrupt high‐frequency emphasis, or simply the value of gain at high frequencies. Subjects were presented with nonsense syllables in a speech‐shaped noise background under two conditions of high‐frequency emphasis (both having 45 dB more gain at high than at low frequencies) as well as a flat condition with the same spectral levels at high frequencies, two signal‐to‐noise ratios, and various overall levels. When results are plotted as a function of high‐frequency gain, the flat and high‐frequency emphasis conditions demonstrate nearly identical consonant‐correct scores, and similar degrees of rollover. This suggests that, at least for normal‐hearing subjects, excessive presentation level rather than spectral imbalance is the primary determinant of the rollover effect with strong high‐frequency emphasis. [Work supported by NIH.]