CDP upgrade or even swap - what can 2-3K buy?

Audio manufacturers appear to know their market:
comparable price across brands tends to give comparable
listening auditions. (e.g. preamps don't open up and deliver
the goods for me until $2K or higher)

Question 1: What unit(s) will give me audible improvement
over my current digital front end?
>> Muse Model 2 18 bit DAC with SONY DVD as transport
>> ($2.2K new, worth $1K now); current system $11K

Question 2: Will $2-3K buy me better CD listening than it
did in 1996?

Not interested in SACD or DVDA at this time
Thanks for any guidance.