Buy a used Sony DVP-S7700 CD/DVD player for around $200 to use as transport. Put the remaining $1800 toward a DAC (or DAC/digital cable). You might be able to get a Dodson 217 mk. II in that range.
FWIW, I recently sold my Cary 303/200 as I found the sound to be "hard," and kind of uninviting. I bought a used Reimyo DAP-777 on A'gon (for more than your budget allows) and was very disappointed in its performance until I got the Sony DVP-S7700 as transport. Wow! Using an older Pioneer CDP with the Stable Platter mechanism, the Reimyo sounded no better than most CDP's. With the Sony, the music became alive, and I could "hear into" recordings like I was hoping to when I dropped the big coin on the Reimyo.
Regarding digital cables, a Nirvana TDI was marginally better than a no-name plastic toslink. For the extra $250 for the Nirvan, I was getting maybe 10% more musical cohesion, but it's worth it to me; you might want to go with a cheap toslink and put the extra $ toward the DAC. YMMV; good luck.
FWIW, I recently sold my Cary 303/200 as I found the sound to be "hard," and kind of uninviting. I bought a used Reimyo DAP-777 on A'gon (for more than your budget allows) and was very disappointed in its performance until I got the Sony DVP-S7700 as transport. Wow! Using an older Pioneer CDP with the Stable Platter mechanism, the Reimyo sounded no better than most CDP's. With the Sony, the music became alive, and I could "hear into" recordings like I was hoping to when I dropped the big coin on the Reimyo.
Regarding digital cables, a Nirvana TDI was marginally better than a no-name plastic toslink. For the extra $250 for the Nirvan, I was getting maybe 10% more musical cohesion, but it's worth it to me; you might want to go with a cheap toslink and put the extra $ toward the DAC. YMMV; good luck.