How can I tell whether I have a single or multi-stage heat pump?

Please note, I'm not asking what the difference between single and multiphase heat pumps are and I'm looking for answers a little more insightful than call my local dealer and ask them. There must be some way to tell based on the number and colors of wires going to my thermostat.

a easy way to tell is remove thermostat and check to see if has two mercury tubes in it...if it does then it is multistage ....if it is digital then you need to take thermostat apart and see if it has a w1 and w2 terminal with seperate wires on each terminal..should be white wire on one terminal and some other color on w2....if it does it is multistage....if they are jumpered together then it is not multi stage....the way multistage works is heat pump comes on first w1 and trys to heat your home...if it cant do it by itself then second stage comes on w2 after temperature drops a few degrees this will be electric heat strips usually...your emergency heat works different and uses all the heat strips...if it is single stage then heat pump and aux heat comes on at same time...w1 and w2 jumpered together...

Email the manufacturer and give them the serial and model numbers. They can answer your question.
Unless it is a rather new model the chances are that is is single stage.

yeah sure, you can tell that way.

you cant tell by your wires you have to look at your compressor itself. you might not be able to see it without knowing exactly what your looking for but you might can find a tag that would tell you.