In an equalizer including a plurality of delay elements, a plurality of weighting elements and an adder, the impulse response of a signal transmission channel is estimated to selectively switch over a plurality of selector switches associated with the inputs and outputs of the respective delay elements, thereby selectively changing the combination of the delay elements and the weighting elements transmitting an input signal from the channel to the adder and also changing the combination of the adder and a delay element feeding back the output of the discriminator to the adder. Thus, the number of required taps of the equalizer can be reduced, so that the power consumption and size of the equalizer can be reduced.