SACD is definitely worth the extra outlay! But it depends if the music that you like is available on SACD. Most of the releases are classical and jazz, which is great for me but maybe not for you.
Head over to www.sa-cd.net ... that site lists every SACD ever released. If a large proportion of your music is available on SACD, then you should definitely invest in it.
For the record: I have found that SACD is a step above RBCD. More detail, better dynamics, less grain, more natural sounding. For $2.5k, I would be looking at a modified Sony player or a Marantz. Or you could try to find a secondhand Cary CD306 ... that's what I have.