Abstract: An automatic and adaptive time-domain equalizer with a first transversal structure operating on received signal samples has its convergence properties improved by the addition of a second transversal structure operating on detected signal samples and having its tap-gain settings conjugate, i.e., reversed in time, with respect to those of the first transversal structure for effectively measuring the spread of tap gain values generated at the first transversal structure and a third transversal structure also operating on received signal samples but having its tap-gain settings determined by the spreading error. The matrix product of the spreading-error tap-gain values and received signal samples modifies the up-dating of the tap-gain values controlling the first transversal structure. The resultant faster convergence is particularly useful in the presence of severe amplitude distortion in the data transmission channel.