A receiver in a data read channel has an input terminal for receiving an input signal provided by a transmitter of the data read channel, and produces an output signal at an output terminal. The receiver includes a finite impulse response (FIR) filter coupled to the input terminal and having filter coefficients capable of being adapted, an interpolated timing-recovery circuit coupled to an output of the FIR filter, the timing-recovery circuit having an output signal coupled to the output terminal of the receiver, and a timer circuit coupled to the output terminal and feedback connected to the timing-recovery circuit, wherein the coefficients of the timing-recovery circuit are dynamically adapted using a cost weighted function through a signal power spectrum of the data read channel.