Generally stated a method and an accompanying apparatus provides for a voice recognition system (300) with programmable front end processing unit (400). The front end processing unit (400) requests and receives different configuration files at different times for processing voice data in the voice recognition system (300). The configuration files are communicated to the front end unit via a communication link (310) for configuring the front end processing unit (400). A microprocessor may provide the front end configuration files on the communication link at different times.