[flargosa]

Basically i want to reterminate my IEM cable to a balance plug, but don't know if it has shared or separate ground wires. Any way of finding that out without having to cut open the cable? I have a multimeter, can that be used somehow?

 

[liamstrain]

depending on its construction, you might be able to guess..
 
is it braided?
 
is it two connected strands that separate at the Y? 
 
Is it a solid strand, that then separates at the Y?
 
Other?

 

[flargosa]

Not sure if it is braided or not as everything is encase in a black rubber tubing.  I cannot tell if it is separate ground or shared ground past the Y towards the mini plug.  Can this be guess somehow using a Multimeter?

 

[liamstrain]

no, not really. A MM won't let you tell if there are two wires on the ground. 
 
I'm not sure you'll be able to deduce given the type of construction. Maybe someone knows from the brand what they normally do. 

 

[flargosa]

ok thanks, cable brand is a Sony EX600 cable.

 

[tranhieu]

From my recabling experience most iems use only 1 wire for ground after the y split. That's not hard to understand though, given how much cable and material they can save by not using dual wires for the same ground.