I spent considerable time with both units over this past weekend (The Kemper and Axe FX II). I will be posting a more detailed review later on all of the various forums.
As a pro player I will purchase and use any unit (or units) that sound the best for me. I'm definitely not emotionally tied to either unit. Gear is just gear to me. I have been through more boutique amps than I can count and I have decided to make the leap into the digital realm. I haven't sold off any of my tube amps either (they aren't going anywhere just yet). I also have access to some of best studios in the mid Atlantic and achieving the best tone is always the goal. Tone is paramount.
Both units have strengths and weaknesses for sure and I'm quite confident both products will improve in the future. As I said, a deeper review is coming.
But to be honest, playing a Kemper 1st spoiled me quite a bit. It's like going from a real tube amp, to something trying to sound like a tube amp.
I personally can't see anyone who plays a Kemper 1st - then changing their mind and then going to an Axe FX. It's likely not going to happen in my opinion. I can see the opposite scenario happening, however.
To me - The Kemper sounds more organic, more tube-like, and tracks more like a real tube amp than the Axe FX. The Axe FX has an inherent "hi fi" quality about it across all patches. It is simply in the Axe FX DNA. It is neither bad, nor good....it is just there, however. And it is noticeable. The Axe FX is very hi fi and modern sounding. Some players may prefer this sound. But for a tube purist, the Kemper is going to win every time if comparing the two boxes in regards to real tube tone.
On the contrary, there is nothing hi fi about the Kemper. It comes as close to real tube tone of any modeler I have personally heard, played, or recorded with.
The strengths of the Axe FX : It has deeper and more complicated effects and currently a better live integration. That's really the only advantage I can see over the Kemper. And from what I hear, the dedicated foot switch is coming and in terms of effects, the Kemper has fantastic effects from what I have heard and used. And once again - from what I hear more effects are coming as well - and they are totally easy to program and very practical.
I also think that 95% of most pro guitar players will use and record with basic effects anyway - basic reverb, some delay and chorus. Anything beyond that can become overkill very quickly when tracking and can color things too much. Just listen to any music you hear on radio, TV, or film (very limited guitar effect processing). So I won't personally miss having my guitar sound like a spaceship. Although it is nice to have an extensive array of effects at your disposal, I can't see most of them being very practical.
I also found the Axe FX to be surprisingly and disappointingly noisy - and I'm not talking about the fan. I personally thought a lot of the patches and effects were noisy and the interface is definitely not easy to manage. But past all of that - what it really comes down to is TONE. And The Kemper has the better sounding box right now in my opinion. Maybe this will change in the future.
I read something about "How does it feel under the fingers"? After playing them both, honestly....anyone who notices a difference is just looking for a fight. They are both excellent and they felt the same to me. No issues here from either unit. They don't feel exactly like a tube amp, nor would I expect them to. But the difference is minimal.
People are talking about the Axe FX getting a version of profiling - I'm not sure this is going to change things much in regards to the underlying tone of the unit. It has this 'hi fi' thing going on and all of the sudden this new 'tone matching' is going to completely change what the unit sounds like?
Out of curiosity - I did some profiles of the Axe FX presets. Why? Because you can! 
I know this isn't recommended, but it copied the Axe FX to near perfection in minutes. Although profiling real tube amps is far superior, you can't dismiss just how powerful the Kemper really is! I mean, when you hear "profiling" for the 1st time it leaves you kinda speechless. Like did this really just happen???? Yes, it did. And then you profile tube amps! That crazy looking space toaster just cloned a $5,000 tube amp with incredible accuracy! This leaves you kinda speechless at first and it will fool you when choosing between the original and the profile. And the tone is ultimately the difference between the two.
....and in regards to Axe FX's upcoming profiling? Well, I for one hope it works great - because it took about 45 seconds to grab the tone from the Axe FX into the Kemper. So there is nothing from stopping this in the future either. If the Axe profiles something well, that's awesome. Just get an AXE FX and profile it with the Kemper. Done. And perhaps the AXE will be able to do the same thing to the Kemper. Obviously the AXE is playing catch up to the Kemper in regards to profiling. Who knows - maybe the AXE will actually do it better? But this a modeler that now wants to get into profiling. Where the Kemper is a profiler that does not want to become a modeler. Huge difference here.
And to me (at least for now) - the results show. By Kemper being the originators of profiling and taking the time to roll out this unit - they have the superior product in regards to delivering real tube amp tone. I'm not sure simply adding profiling is going to be the final answer to make the AXE FX sound as tube like & organic as the Kemper.
Both units deliver quality professional guitar tone and I don't think you can go wrong with either unit. But if you are a tube purist and tone freak like me, the Kemper is the clear choice in comparing the two.
We shall see what the future brings and I look forward to it.
Stay frosty,
JEL
This review is NO different.
