After upgrading to 13.04 from 12.10 Lubuntu lost audio playback after unplugging usb soundcard (Polycom) and plugging it back in. Volume control was gray and leading to pulseaudio mixer (not installed) so I uninstalled the pulseaudio package. I also removed and reinstalled the alsa-base package. After restart I have the alsamixer back everything seemingly as usual(volume 100%, unmute) but every sound program gets me errors no matter what device I select.

aplay -L:

null
    Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
pulse
    PulseAudio Sound Server
default:CARD=NVidia
    HDA NVidia, ALC662 rev1 Analog
    Default Audio Device
sysdefault:CARD=NVidia
    HDA NVidia, ALC662 rev1 Analog
    Default Audio Device
front:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, ALC662 rev1 Analog
    Front speakers
surround40:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, ALC662 rev1 Analog
    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, ALC662 rev1 Analog
    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, ALC662 rev1 Analog
    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, ALC662 rev1 Analog
    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, ALC662 rev1 Analog
    7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, ALC662 rev1 Digital
    IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, HDMI 0
    HDMI Audio Output
dmix:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, ALC662 rev1 Analog
    Direct sample mixing device
dmix:CARD=NVidia,DEV=1
    HDA NVidia, ALC662 rev1 Digital
    Direct sample mixing device
dmix:CARD=NVidia,DEV=3
    HDA NVidia, HDMI 0
    Direct sample mixing device
dsnoop:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, ALC662 rev1 Analog
    Direct sample snooping device
dsnoop:CARD=NVidia,DEV=1
    HDA NVidia, ALC662 rev1 Digital
    Direct sample snooping device
dsnoop:CARD=NVidia,DEV=3
    HDA NVidia, HDMI 0
    Direct sample snooping device
hw:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, ALC662 rev1 Analog
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
hw:CARD=NVidia,DEV=1
    HDA NVidia, ALC662 rev1 Digital
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
hw:CARD=NVidia,DEV=3
    HDA NVidia, HDMI 0
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
plughw:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, ALC662 rev1 Analog
    Hardware device with all software conversions
plughw:CARD=NVidia,DEV=1
    HDA NVidia, ALC662 rev1 Digital
    Hardware device with all software conversions
plughw:CARD=NVidia,DEV=3
    HDA NVidia, HDMI 0
    Hardware device with all software conversions
default:CARD=Communicator
    Default Audio Device
sysdefault:CARD=Communicator
    Default Audio Device
front:CARD=Communicator,DEV=0
    Polycom Communicator, USB Audio
    Front speakers
surround40:CARD=Communicator,DEV=0
    Polycom Communicator, USB Audio
    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=Communicator,DEV=0
    Polycom Communicator, USB Audio
    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=Communicator,DEV=0
    Polycom Communicator, USB Audio
    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=Communicator,DEV=0
    Polycom Communicator, USB Audio
    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=Communicator,DEV=0
    Polycom Communicator, USB Audio
    7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=Communicator,DEV=0
    Polycom Communicator, USB Audio
    IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
dmix:CARD=Communicator,DEV=0
    Polycom Communicator, USB Audio
    Direct sample mixing device
dsnoop:CARD=Communicator,DEV=0
    Polycom Communicator, USB Audio
    Direct sample snooping device
hw:CARD=Communicator,DEV=0
    Polycom Communicator, USB Audio
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
plughw:CARD=Communicator,DEV=0
    Polycom Communicator, USB Audio
    Hardware device with all software conversions

etc/asound.conf:

defaults.ctl.card 1
defaults.pcm.card 1
defaults.pcm.device 1

Following gets same result with both devices. aplay -vv -D front:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0 "Release the Pressure.wav":

Playing WAVE 'Release the Pressure.wav' : Signed 16 bit Little Endian, Rate 44100 Hz, Mono
aplay: set_params:1087: Channels count non available

Guayadeque mp3 playback:

AL lib: alsa_open_playback: Could not open playback device 'default': No such file or directory 
21:32:14: Error: Gstreamer error 'Configured audiosink playbackbin is not working.'

Audacious:

ALSA error: snd_mixer_attach failed: No such file or directory.
ALSA error: snd_pcm_open failed: No such device.

So How do I fix my audio?

UPDATE: I removed the usb soundcard and got rid of all alsa config. Everything is working as before the install but it sure feels fragile.