Devices, systems, and techniques for equalization include, in at least some implementations, a first equalizer that produces first equalized data responsive to input data by reducing a total power of both noise and inter symbol interference components of the input data, a first detector that produces first output data responsive to the first equalized data, a second equalizer that produces second equalized data responsive to the first output data by maximizing bit error rate performance, and a second detector that produces second output data responsive to the second equalized data.