An adaptive receiver equalizes incoming data expressed as a series of symbols, the degree of equalization being adjusted by some adaptive control logic. An amplitude detector samples the amplitude of the eye openings of incoming symbols and conveys the resulting measures of eye amplitude to the adaptive control logic. The control logic experiments with different equalization settings while monitoring the resulting eye amplitude to find the equalization setting that provides incoming data eyes of the highest amplitude. A data filter may be included to enable the amplitude detector only in response to particular incoming data patterns.