1. An enhancement speech system that improves the perceptual quality of a processed speech segment, comprising: a discrete input; a delay unit that digitally delays a signal received through the discrete input; a spectral modifier coupled to the delay unit programmed to substantially flatten the spectral character of a background noise; an adaptive filter coupled to the spectral modifier that adapts filter characteristics to match a response to the signal received through the discrete input before the signal is delayed; and a programmable filter coupled to the delay unit having a transfer function functionally related to a transfer function of the adaptive filter.