A digital magnetic recording system comprises an input for a binary-encoded data signal comprising two symbols. The binary signal is converted, using a binary-to-ternary convolutional encoder, to a ternary signal comprising three symbols. The ternary signal is recorded onto a magnetic medium wherein two symbols are recorded using conventional saturation recording and a third symbol is recorded using a nonoriented state. The nonoriented state results from the application to the medium of a high-frequency oscillating magnetic flux. The recorded signal is subsequently reproduced and equalized. A Viterbi algorithm is used to convert the equalized signal back to the original binary signal which is then output from the system.