Thank Matt, this is very helpful.
My impression is that although the new ones sound quite good for picking, (because they are lower pitched, they sound less shrill and more soulful) when I compared* the fast strumming, the old aquilas actually seem to be more well-rounded sounding with less attack, so they sound nicer to me. I'm assuming you strummed pretty much exactly the same both times.
I think the strumming shows the old ones have more overtones, which rounds out the sound, so even though they are higher pitched, they somehow have more fullness and and a certain kind of oomph when strummed. I'm not sure how else to describe it. I didn't notice this with the picking. I don't know enough to say that it's just overtones, maybe it's harmonics between the strings, or the body resonating. I have noticed before though, that nylguts shine in their ability to generate overtones.
I'll listen to your video a few more times before deciding. My current impression is I don't think I'll switch. I don't want to give up the impact of the strum, just to improve the picking. I love the boom of a good strum.
Thanks again, this is really appreciated. I can't afford to buy all the strings and test them, so it helps to hear a side-by-side like this.
*: I compared by rewinding and fastforwarding so I could just hear the same section of fast strum.