Gold plated flute sounds better than gold plated brick. It's difficult to know what you want to compare gold plated flute to if you don't tell us. I think it sounds fairly nice, though.
The term gold-plated flute resembles the artisan quality that certain amateur bargain hunters are always searching for in their quest for the best, but cheapest instruments.
I would say no to this question. The sound in woodwind instruments are made by the reed. The body does have some impact on sound, since it is plated, it wont make much of a difference. If it was solid gold then it would have a little different sound I would think.