The contribution to the loudness of noise made by various frequency bands was studied over a wide range of noise levels. Paralleling results with pure tones, the contribution of noise of the middle frequency range to loudness is greater than that of low and high frequency noise (for bands 250 to 300 mels in width). In order to produce maximal loudness with a fixed over‐all sound level, it was found, in most cases, more economical to spread the noise spectrum over a wide frequency range than to concentrate the noise spectrum in a restricted range of frequencies.