I’m absolutely NOT seeking visuals, here.
I’m curious about the range of positions testicles take/ scrotal “sag” (still looking for a better word, here)
My admittedly small sample knowledge has ranged from one inch of distance from visible penile base, to about four inches. All contracted to some degree at ejaculation.
What amount of distance causes problems, near or close? what’s the average range?
From a strictly anatomical perspective, the distance the testicles “sag” from the base of the penis is determined by the size and state of the scrotum. The spermatic cord (the cord-like structure that supplies blood and carries sperm away from the testis) as well as the cremaster muscle that surrounds it normally allow for a greater degree of mobility than the scrotum itself. To put it differently, the cords (plural since there are two) have quite a bit of slack in them to the extent that if it weren’t for the scrotum, the testicles would hang much lower than they do. This can be proved by gently pulling one testicle at a time away from the body until the scrotum is stretched taut and using the other hand to feel for the spermatic cord - it should still feel loose.
As per the above, how far the testicles sag is therefore determined by how big and how stretched the scrotum is. Personally, if I repeat the above experiment, I can pull my testicles about 3.5-4 inches away from the base of my penis. At the other extreme, I once had my right testicle ascend up into the body during a very intense orgasm - it was easy to massage it back down into the sack right after. So for me the range can be anywhere from 0 to 4 inches, though normally it is probably somewhere in the 1-2 inch range.
Factors that can affect the amount of “sag” are numerous and include (duh) genetics, room temperature, degree of arousal, stress levels, and potentially angle of erection (especially among tightly circumcised men where the lack of slack in penile skin also pulls up the scrotum). As a rule of thumb, you are looking somewhere closer to the 3-4 inch figure if you are examining the man in a warm room, he is not aroused, nor stressed, and is not erect. At the other end, if he is cold, aroused or stressed (the testicles are drawn closer to the body if adrenaline levels go up - the fight or flight response) and/or erect (and potentially tightly circumcised with a high-angled erection), you are looking towards the lower end of the spectrum.
But as with everything, your mileage might vary, and just as labia can range from basically non-existent to long lips that “sag” an inch or more, genes also play a big part in it, so unless someone has done some very thorough research on the topic, I doubt you will get a significantly more accurate figure than you estimated yourself.