Pick up a used CDP from the Sony ES line and mate it to an external DAC via a decent coax cable.
Best bang-for-your-buck (used) DAC under $500 is the Teac UD-501, IMHO. YMMV.
I upgraded from a Sony S9000ES (mated to a Teac UD-501) to an Esoteric DV-50S. The Sony/Teac combo came very close to the redbook performance of the Esoteric!