An adaptive equalizer. Implementations of adaptive equalizers may include implementations of 8-QAM adaptive equalizers that may include a signal filter, an adaptive processor coupled to the signal filter and a slicer coupled to the signal filter and the adaptive processor. The slicer may be configured to utilize a plurality of desired signals corresponding to an 8-QAM signal constellation having four quadrants, four levels disposed along the I-axis, and three levels disposed along the Q-axis. The slicer may also be configured to output an error signal by receiving an equalized output signal, processing the equalized output signal by correlating the equalized output signal with a decision region within one of the four quadrants, selecting one of a plurality of desired signals corresponding to the decision region, and calculating the error signal using the desired signal and the equalized output signal.