Glad you came back! Maybe try a tube pre next? I've never heard the Truth, but looking it up online it seems constructed similarly to a passive pre I own, the Lightspeed Attenuator, which has a super clean sound, very low or no coloration. I like it, but I like the colors I get from a tube pre better for my current setup. I'm not too surprised you couldn't hear a difference between Truth and a direct connection.
BTW, I sold my Don Sachs pre because I just have too many. It was a coin toss between selling it and the UltraVerve; I really like both.
Please keep us updated on your journey.
-Tom