Using Apollo X4 with Plugins

I have been using the UAD Apollo X4 with all neural dsp plugins.

Anyone knows the best config to do this? I feel that connecting my guitars through the HI-Z input has too little gain but if I try to crank up the gain until it doesn’t clip, the signal gets overcompressed and distorts bad.

I feel like the best way to compensate this is cranking up the plugin gain.

I am testing with a bunch of ernie ball majesties and getting that result.

Also I am using elixir strings which I think have a lot less gain than regular ernie ball strings?