Asynchronous asymmetry compensation for data read from a storage medium

A method, comprising:

• detecting positive peak amplitudes and negative peak amplitudes of an unequalized readback signal that exhibits imperfect or bi-modal waveform peaks using a peak tracking threshold module positioned at an input to an equalizer;
• tracking the positive peak amplitudes and the negative peak amplitudes of the unequalized readback signal in a record;
• and
• providing, as an input to an asymmetry compensator, the record of the peak amplitudes and the negative peak amplitudes determined from the unequalized readback signal.

A magnetic tape drive, comprising:

• a hardware processor;
• and
• logic integrated with and/or executable by the hardware processor, the logic being configured to cause the hardware processor to:
• detect positive peak amplitudes and negative peak amplitudes of an unequalized readback signal using a peak tracking threshold module positioned at an input to an equalizer, wherein the unequalized readback signal exhibits imperfect or bi-modal waveform peaks;
• track the positive peak amplitudes and the negative peak amplitudes of the unequalized readback signal in a record;
• and
• provide, as an input to an asymmetry compensator, the record of the peak amplitudes and the negative peak amplitudes determined from the unequalized readback signal.