What is the highest rate that you have seen it run without crashing? 192 from what I have read seems be the max.
I didn't have that much problems with any mp3 file I gave to it. Occasional crashes with Amplifier in long plays (like in whole day playing), but can't connect it to any certain mp3 bitrated file. I think it was because something else, because delfmpeg for example was very stable. I can't say any facts about bitrates now, but for sure there were VBR files with higher average than 192 and pretty sure some 256 too...
I have overclocked Delfina Lite and patched library. In original setup it couldn't cope higher bitrate, but you can overclock even with software nowadays so that shouldn't be much problem.