I owned the 7's and Sophias prior to purchasing the Maxx 2's, and have listened at length with the Alexandrias under very controlled conditions.
In my opinion, the 7's and Sophias represented a giant leap toward a more coherent and harmonically pure center, from earlier designs such as the WATT 6 and 5.1's. The MAXX 2's and X2's represent these fundamental changes in the larger Wilson designs. Along with the incredible dynamic scale they also possess a delicacy and harmonic purity that was missing in earlier iterations. Comparing the original MAXX 2's to the MAXX's, I'd say that the original models were cool and dry in the treble, and slightly forward and pronounced in the mid-upper bass. The MAXX 2's possess a richness and refinement in the treble that is clearly superior to the MAXX's and the X1's, and they present a more coherent whole.
I also find the MAXX 2's to be more precise at staging and imaging compared to the WATT 7's because the low-freq of the MAXX 2 paints the rear of the stage in a way the 7's and Sophias were incapable of.
I find it is no longer possible to categorize the Wilson speakers as many have in the past, as cold or analytical. To me they have evolved into complete performers and are on a par with the best speakers I've had up close experience with. Of course, personal preference is what drives us, but as a former Audio Physic owner (Caldera, Avanti, Virgo) I find the new Wilson models to be on a par in terms of tonal balance, timing and delicacy, and without peer in terms of dynamic shadings, immediacy and impact... JMHO