An improved multi-antenna receiver is realized for detecting signals transmitted by a multi-antenna transmitter by summing signals received at the plurality of receiver antennas after multiplying each by a respective constant. The summed signal is applied to a maximum likelihood detector. The respective constants, _j, where j is an index designating a particular receiver antenna, are determined by evaluating the largest eigenvector of the matrix A, where is a vector containing the values _j, and A is a matrix containing elements _ij, which is the transfer function between the i^th transmitter antenna to the j^th receiver antenna. The _ij terms are determined in the receiver in conventional ways.