How come there is no thread on the RealityCheck?

I cannot speak for Jaycoy, of course, but I think both of your senses of air are tightly related. With the greater quiet and blackness of the noise background comes more information on the venue including ambience and reverberation. I would characterize it as sounding more real or having a sense of being there.

Tbg, the two definitions I mentioned were culled from reading the threads. I tend to favor one over the other, and I agree with you about the connection between the two. However, I have heard equipment with blackness that also eliminates some ambience and reverberation dur to HF attenuation.

Tvad, yes now that you mention it, so have I. There is no loss of highs with the RC copies, however.

There is no loss of highs with the RC copies, however.

Well, that's up for debate.

airy - Pertaining to treble which sounds light, delicate, open, and seemingly unrestricted in upper extension. A quality of reproducing systems having very smooth and very extended HF response. (Stereophile Glossary)