The effect of various levels of excitation on the stability and development of an axisymmetric mixing layer was studied experimentally. The flow was excited axisymmetrically by a single speaker placed at the base of the plenum chamber. Measurements of mean and phase‐averaged velocity profiles were made using an array of hot‐wire probes. The measured profiles were compared to eigenfunctions calculated from linear, viscous stability theory. It is shown that the theoretical predictions, based on measured profiles of mean velocity, compare very well with the phase‐averaged measurements, even when the local disturbance reaches levels as high as 24% of the jet speed. The cumulative effect of excitation on the mean flow is examined as a function of local Strouhal number as well as excitation level.