But as to the issue of vibration, isn’t it possible for an air bearing to vibrate due to any pulsatile quality of the air supply?
Had to look up pulsatile to make sure it can stand alone, not always be associated with tinnitus!
If the air supply is created by a pump, the pump itself will produce mechanical vibrations, and the air coming from it may pulse as you say. One solution is to feed the air into a holding tank, and for some air compressors, locate them in a separate room.
The Holbo does not require much in the way of air volume, because the air gaps are only 10 microns wide. Also, the air is supplied to the tonearm bearing. rather than the entire length of the guide rod it runs on. It is both low volume and low pressure. The intake has a 1-micron filter and the tubes connecting the pump to the deck and the deck to the tonearm are very flexible. All the reviews suggest that the combined pump and 12-volt power supply are inaudible.