the use of G711 for SIP is independent on GSM.
G711 is the codec used for negotiation and streaming of calls to the MAS, that is when you are dialing the MAS to retrieve a message etc, you are talking G711 to the MAS.
GSM is the storage codec used to save messages on to the MSS.
You are correct that the GSM will result in a lower quality recording, where are G711 will give you a better quality, which of course takes more storage on the MSS
If your old system was using GSM, i find it strange that you would have noted any degradation in the GSM of the new system, unless you are perhaps referring to messages that were migrated to the new system that may have been converted from GSM to G711 as part of the restore?