I would be one of those losers, thank you very much! I am allergic to silver and break out very badly under my chin. I always had to have my lip plate gold plated. Not everyone can afford a solid gold lip plate you know.
I do have a solid gold one now on my new Powell though, after MANY years.

By the way Beth, a SOLID gold riser does make a difference.

It is exceedingly difficult to reproduce two risers exactly the same, and the SHAPE of the riser is arguably the most critical part of a flute for determining tone.

So how have you managed to compare the same head with two risers which are identical apart from the material?

The research already reported in this thread was far, far more rigorous than anything you could have done (unless you have something valid to report).

I would prefer to believe the research.

Yes, you may well have tried a few flutes which happen to have been made with risers having acoustic properties which you like, and COINCIDENTALLY were made from gold.

That does not mean that the gold was responsible.

I wonder why then when everytime I did a blind test on headjoints, I ALWAYS liked the one`s with the 14K gold riser on them? I am sure plenty of well progressed flutist would disagree with you.

"The research already reported in this thread was far, far more rigorous than anything you could have done (unless you have something valid to report"

What are you talking about? Where is the evidence in this particular thread that proves that a gold riser doesn`t make a difference?

The 12th post in the thread, kindly provided by Ashley, has a link, which has more links - a lot of information about the relevance of the material with which a flute is made.

If one of those links does not work, I can probably provide alternatives that do.

It is amazing than how many people must be wrong. But hey... scientist know everything, right. I know what I feel about it and I am sure there will always be those people that like to over speculate or disagree. That only makes us human.

"Because the riser is the device that splits the air column then I would say there is a good possibility that a sensitive flutist would be able to descern whether it is made of the metal that they can get good control of."

"Just by trying flutes, I found that a gold riser works best for me. Don`t know the specifics, but I know what works for me So I do think it makes a difference."

"Well, someone who is listening to you without knowing what riser
material you`re playing may not be able to tell which is which, but that
doesn`t mean there isn`t a difference. I haven`t had the privilege of
doing much riser testing myself so I can`t comment directly on it, but I
have also seen people insist that things like flute tube material and
crown weight are just marketing hype, and in my experience both of
those make a difference, too. Perhaps this sort of thing differs from
person to person, but I stick to what I`ve experienced on these
subjects. Don`t believe everything you read on the internet."

If we are quoting reputable people then (unnamed in the above post, perhaps we should keep balance by re-reading points 2,3 & 4 in the Jennifer Cluff link:

http://www3.telus.net/Garry_McKevitt/goldsilver.htm

We all are never going to agree, so I will just say that I respect your views on it. Thank you for the link.

And I respect your opinion too.

I have a 14ct gold plated mouthpiece, also etched, and I noticed a difference immedietly in my tone. It is a darker, richer tone and other people I have talked to agree that gold adds a clarity. It is the basic law of metal...
gold puts out a much better sound quality. Thats why it is used in speakers and audio electronics; it just sounds better with gold.

It`s all cosmetic. Like several people before me said, the only reason a flute with a gold-plated lip plate sounds better is because it has better workmanship, NOT because of the gold. Have you ever compared the exact same two flutes, same model/etc, one with a gold lip plate and one without? Yeah. No difference.

Hear hear!
AND..... not even because of the etching.

Although many plyers, if they paid $1000 for engraving and were told by the engraver that it would improve their sound, would sincerely believe it and indeed imagine they hear it, having paid to do so! Such is the gullibility of human nature. The alternative would be to believe they have been conned, which nobody wants to do.

Gold is used in audio electronics because it does not corrode and it the long term means a better contact, this is why it is used on cable terminals on good Hi Fi. Silver and cooper are better conductors of electricity than gold but gold is used more often because does not corrode. Gold is not used because it makes Hi Fi sound better. The best speaker cables around are in fact made of silver because it is a better conductor that gold and more of the signal will reach the speakers from the amp.
This link may help you to understand:
http://www.gold.org/discover/sci_indu/indust_app/electronic_apps.html

No way will a few microns of gold plate make a flute sound better, or a better word would be different. “Solid” gold yes makes a flute sound different to silver, wood, platinum, but as to being better this is purely subjective on behalf of the player or listener. Any difference to the sound with plating will be all in the mind.