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« on: February 21, 2021, 07:44:53 PM »
What do you think these changes will do? The original 50 watt part is plenty capable, the amp doesn't produce near that much. Installing heavier duty parts will not increase the power output in the slightest. Power comes from the power supply, not the output transistors. Their 60v ratings are plenty for the 41v supply, of which neither part ever sees more than about 35v on peaks. These amps are not known as transistor killers, so adding overkill ratings won't really improve reliability.
It won't be ANY louder, the parts ratings only tell you the maximum they can survive, not what will come out from them. And as to preamp hitting downstream too hard, the signal is limited by the power supply. The preamp runs on a single 24v rail, which the op amp has to center in so 12v either way from rest. Minus a volt or so for limits and the signal cannot peak over about 11v. NO stress on teh power amp.
To answer your question, yes the NTE guys will drop in place, though I consider it a waste of time.
I will say the power amp could be where your distortion lies, but not from being hit too hard. You might have crossover distortion, and that is a matter of bias adjustment. Yours is not adjustable other than by changing circuit part values around Q4.