Hi Neal,
It's certainly worth a try and as long as it's either an impedance match or you can adjust the input impedance of the eq filter(s) correctly, I it could be worthwhile.
You should probably find out the impedances of the 5050 and the MTR 10 heads, work out the math first (if needed). Getting all your duck in a row before you make the switch won't strain your aural memory as much.
Remember that all heads aren't shaped the same either. The contact area may be bigger or smaller. So be sure and remember to adjust tape tension (you should really adjust this whenever you do anything that is in the tape path or motors (which kinda means,.. everything?).
I think that this kind of experimentation is great! Sometimes the results might not be what could technically be call an improvement, but sometimes the differences will be right down your alley (tonal preferences).
Have fun!