I don't know why people think DWC is easier and smaller. I find it to be more cumbersome and a huge pain in the ass. If you're growing two plants in a little rubbermaid with a gang-load of lame ass CFL's I guess it's easy to maintain. Beyond that it's a kick in the nuts.
I use Ebb & Flow and I've never put an air pump in my reservoir. With proper watering it's unecessary as the roots have plenty of access to oxygen.
My setup is so simple it's disgusting when you consider my results. When my landlord tells me I have a fire sprinkler inspection or what not and I have 48 hours notice I can have my shit torn down in 15 minutes and packed in to van. I park the van in the garage and run by Ozone Generator in the garage and my shit "disappears".
I use cinder blocks to hold up my tray(s). Put them on the outside edges of the tray and put the reservoir in the middle under the tray. Simple Tray over Reservoir design with a pump in the reservoir to send the water up, then it just drains directly back to the reservoir below. Like you said, use a hose if the draining is too loud.
I use 4x4 Rockwool cubes inside 8 in netpots of hydroton. When it comes teardown time I can pick up the netpots, drain the reservoirs, pick up the trays and load all of it into the van.
I can move it all to a friends house, I can leave it in the van for a couple of days (I would have to go visit the van to give them some water.
But in an emergency or in short notice I don't have to figure out how to move one unit houseing 4 or 5 or 6 plants, AND is the reservoir without anyone noticing. It's too "permanently fixed" for my liking.
I tried DWC and it was just more of a PITA for me all the way around. I went back to Ebb & Flow and it's just way too simple for me to really think I'll ever change again.