For $2-3K you can get a really good used tube pre, especially if you don’t need a phono stage. But even if you do. Not to disagree w my esteemed colleagues, but most tube pre-amps (with some notable exceptions) are very easy on tubes, so I would not necessarily believe that you would have to budget for replacements. Even if you so, there are many good new stock small signal tubes available w/o breaking the bank. There are lots of good ones for sale now; in addition to the CJs and ARCs, there are models from Audio Note, BAT, and Modwright available well within your budget.
BTW, it's my opinion that a good pre is the heart of a good system, you can't go wrong here with getting the best you can afford.
BTW, it's my opinion that a good pre is the heart of a good system, you can't go wrong here with getting the best you can afford.