Yes, that is the case for any setup that does not have a readily available air supply. However, the ONLY compressor I've used that does not do the same thing is the Sparmax. It stores 60 lbs of air and once it's filled, it turns off until the air supply goes down to 40 pounds. The other compressors I've used act the same as the hot water heater in your house... as soon as you use some, the compressor turns on and "tops-off" the air supply. This of course means that the only time the compressor doesn't work is when you're not calling for air... and that to me is very dumb, and practically negates the need for a tank. The Smart Jet probably does not have an air tank; in fact, when I was researching Iwata compressors, I found only the high-end ones had a tank.