Short latency (under 10 msec) evoked responses elicited by bursts of white noise were recorded from the scalp of human subjects. Response alterations produced by changes in the noise‐burst duration (on time), interburst interval (off time), and onset and offset shapes are reported and evaluated. The latency of the most prominent response component, wave V, was markedly delayed with increases in stimulus rise time but was unaffected by changes in fall time. Increase in stimulus duration and therefore loudness resulted in a systematic increse in latency, probably due to response recovery processes, as this effect was eliminated with increases in stimulus off time. The amplitude of wave V was insensitive to changes in signal rise and fall times, while increasing signal on time produced smaller amplitude responses only for sufficiently short off times. It is concluded that wave V of the human auditory brainstem‐evoked response is solely an onset response.Subject Classification :[43]65.59.[43].65.75.