A system for retiming a multi-level signal that forms an eye diagram when plotted, such as a PAM4 signal that includes an equalizer configured to create an equalized signal and a first amplifier configured to amplify the equalized signal, responsive to a first amplifier control signal, to create a first amplified signal, and a second amplifier configured to amplify the equalized signal, responsive to a second amplifier control signal, to create a second amplified signal. An eye monitor processes the equalized signal, the first amplified signal, and the second amplified signal to create a first retiming clock phase signal and a second retiming clock phase signal, which control sampling times for flip-flops. One or more delays and one or more emphasis modules are configured to delay and introduce emphasis into an output from the flip-flops, the resulting signals are combined in a summing junction to create the retimed signal.