How to make amplifier (almost) Beta independent?
Source: Bob Cordell, Designing Audio Power Amplifiers

The design of Figure 3.2 differs from that of Figure 3.1 by the addition of emitter
degeneration resistors R15 and R16 and by reducing C1 from 300 pF to 30 pF. The pair
of 234-Ω emitter degeneration resistors implements 10:1 degeneration of the input
differential pair by increasing the total emitter-to-emitter resistance RLTP from 52 Ω to
520 Ω. This reduces its transconductance by a factor of 10. In order to keep the negative feedback gain crossover frequency fc at the same 500 kHz for equivalent stability, C1
must be reduced by that same 10:1 factor.