Is, as you said, only a (a little annoying) work around , may be you need something more radical, in my experiments with the ""TERRIBLE"" linux sound management, i've found that pulseaudio is more an issue than a solution, my advice is to ERADICATE it, using a punctual (and reversible, of course) procedure, i could write it, but i've found it here:
Take this words ""cum grano salis"" even if was written for 8.10, trying to understand who are the parts interested on Linux audio management, maybe you can learn something. :-D"
