1. A nonlinear equalizer for reducing distortion in an input signal, comprising: a first number of nonlinear function elements, each element receiving a common input signal and providing an output signal, wherein the first number is at least one; multiple linear equalizers each providing an output signal and being one more in number than said first number of nonlinear function elements, one of said linear equalizers receiving the common input signal and all remaining equalizers receiving an output signal from a different one of the nonlinear function elements; and a summation unit receiving the output signals of said linear equalizer to provide an equalized output signal by summing the output signals of the linear equalizers.