A pulse signal conditioner filters and equalizes signal pulses representing digital data whether or not obtained from a magnetic recording device. Modified low pass filters filter (23, 25) the pulse signals and also derive and feed forward the second time derivative of the filtered pulse signals. The filtered pulse and the second time (234, 254) derivative thereof are combined to (230, 250) slim the pulse. Further slimming is provided by delay line equalizers (27, 29) having three paths. A first path (271) for attenuating the pulse signals, a second path (272) for delaying the pulse signals for a first delay, and a third path (273-274) for delaying the pulse signals for a second delay and attenuation. Pulse signals from the three paths are combined (270) to further slim the pulse.