Here's what I've learned about strings, aside than your choice being completely subjective. Some guitars (woods) sound fabulous with one string, but those same strings may not sound so good on a different wood. I love John Pearse 80/20's and "Silk and Steel" on my rosewood guitars, but don't care for them at all on my maple guitars. While experimenting with various strings, and at the time, being willing to pay a fortune for strings, I bought a few sets of Thomastick Plectrums (about $30/set). I stuck a set on my favorite rosewood guitar, and didn't like them at all. Since my D30 was one of my "lesser guitars", and I knew I didn't like them on rosewood, I put a set on my maple D30.....and WOW.....sounded like a different guitar. I think certain woods like particular strings, and even some guitars of the same woods have different temperment. I'd like to buy a 12 string set for my maple JF30 12, but I'd hate to price them. If you've got a maple guitar, but a set of the Plectrums, and just try them.
Thomastik-Infeld Acoustic Guitar Plectrum Bronze Flat Wound/Bronze Round Wound Light, .011 - .050, AC111 TOI_AC111 Guitar Strings Thomastik-Infeld AC111
www.juststrings.com
By the way, I continue to experiment with strings, and just bought a couple of sets of Martin 80/20 strings on my Collings guitars, and I don't think they hold a candle to JP's. I've also tried D'Addario EJ40's on both Collings guitars.....they sound and play incredible, but are dead as a door nail in about 2 weeks.
I've never played a "coated" string I cared for either.....so that rules out Elixer. I think I've tried just about all of them, but I keep coming back to John Pearse strings.......they're cheap, and to me, they sound fabilous.
West