A receiver system contains an analog pre-filter (207 or 619), an analog-to-digital converter (210), a digital equalizer (212), and a decoder (605) arranged sequentially for processing an input analog signal (y.sub.k). The pre-filter produces a filtered analog signal (Z.sub.s) with reduced intersymbol interference. The converter provides analog-to-digital signal conversion. Digital equalization circuitry in the equalizer operates according to a transfer frmnction.times..times..times. ##EQU00001## to produce an equalized digital signal (a'.sub.k) as a stream of equalized digital values. Coefficients c.sub.-1 and c.sub.0 are fixed. Each other coefficient c.sub.i is adaptively chosen. The decoder converts the equalized digital values, or intermediate values generated therefrom, into a stream of symbols. A receiver system may include two or more receivers each configured in the foregoing way with the digital equalization circuitry in each receiver operating according to a transfer function.times..times. ##EQU00002## where at least coefficients c.sub.-1, c.sub.0, and c.sub.1 are non-zero.