Sudden problem Jack refuses to start.

It looks to me like it is and ALSA problem and for the record when I 
refer to jack problems it might be alsa problems. The alsa UG is dead so 
unfortunately I have no other option but to ask here.

After I had to reboot, it now takes me about 3/4 hour to get jack and 
all my sound running. I always succeed but it is tedious and largely 
non-repeatable.

It used to be easy just simply starting it with Cadence. I have no idea 
what went out o0f whacki and really dont know where to start looking.

When Jack works right, the following string on CLI starts jack error 
free.

/usr/bin/jackd --sync -P80 -ndefault -dalsa -dhw:VSL -r44100 -p512 -n8


However now I get the following:
=========================================================

$ lsusb
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 002: ID 0557:2221 ATEN International Co., Ltd Winbond 
Hermon
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 05e3:0719 Genesys Logic, Inc. SATA adapter
Bus 001 Device 010: ID 1d57:0001 Xenta
Bus 001 Device 009: ID 0a12:0001 Cambridge Silicon Radio, Ltd Bluetooth 
Dongle (HCI mode)
Bus 001 Device 008: ID 0bda:8153 Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
Bus 001 Device 007: ID 05e3:0610 Genesys Logic, Inc. 4-port hub
Bus 001 Device 006: ID 0763:0150 Midiman M-Audio Uno
Bus 001 Device 015: ID 194f:0103 PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc. 
AudioBox 1818 VSL
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 1a40:0101 Terminus Technology Inc. Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

Which shows my 1818vsl

Then trying to start Jack
-------------------------
$ /usr/bin/jackd --sync -P80 -ndefault -dalsa -dhw:VSL -r44100 -p512 -n8
jackdmp 1.9.12
Copyright 2001-2005 Paul Davis and others.
Copyright 2004-2016 Grame.
Copyright 2016-2018 Filipe Coelho.
jackdmp comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
This is free software, and you are welcome to redistribute it
under certain conditions; see the file COPYING for details
JACK server starting in realtime mode with priority 80
self-connect-mode is "Don't restrict self connect requests"
control open "hw:VSL" (No such device)
control open "hw:VSL" (No such device)
creating alsa driver ... 
hw:VSL|hw:VSL|512|8|44100|0|0|nomon|swmeter|-|32bit
control open "hw:VSL" (No such device)
ALSA lib pcm_hw.c:1713:(_snd_pcm_hw_open) Invalid value for card
ALSA lib pcm_hw.c:1713:(_snd_pcm_hw_open) Invalid value for card
ALSA: Cannot open PCM device alsa_pcm for playback. Falling back to 
capture-only mode
control open "hw:VSL" (No such device)
control open "hw:VSL" (No such device)
Cannot initialize driver
JackServer::Open failed with -1
Failed to open server

Which says invalid value for card.

Pulseaudio usually gets it to run after a while by continuously cycling 
the 1818vsl o0n and off for about 5 mins. Continuously cycling the 
following error output as it seemingly fiddles with Alsa and usb.

Therefore I do

$ pulseaudio &
[1] 24813
~$ E: [pulseaudio] module-alsa-card.c: Failed to find a working profile.
E: [pulseaudio] module.c: Failed to load module "module-alsa-card" 
(argument: "device_id="2" name="usb-M-Audio_USB_Uno_MIDI_Interface-00" 
card_name="alsa_card.usb-M-Audio_USB_Uno_MIDI_Interface-00" 
namereg_fail=false tsched=yes fixed_latency_range=no ignore_dB=no 
deferred_volume=yes use_ucm=yes 
card_properties="module-udev-detect.discovered=1""): initialization 
failed.

This error then cycles continuously for 10 minutes (switching 1818vsl 
status light from blue to red and back)  my and sometimes alsa get 
sorted out and Pulse loads the 1818VSL (without Jack)
Jaxck always starts after pulseaudio found the 1818vsl.

===============================================================================

If pulseaudio didnt get it to run and it failed hard, the following 
procedure then usually gets it going. (strangely I first have to allow 
the 10minute pulseaudio usb/alsa disco to complete before the following 
will work.

What worked the last time I ad to reboot is:
==============================================
Once system is fully up, cycle power on 1818vsl
Replug 1818vsl usb plug
Wait for status light to go blue. (successfully connected to system)
Start pulsaudio from cli
pulseaudio &
WHILE pulseaudio was started from cli and continuously clicking 1818vsl 
and cycling light from red to blue, after about 15 such pulseaudio 
cycles execute;
/usr/bin/jackd --sync -P80 -ndefault -dalsa -dhw:VSL -r44100 -p512 -n8

Then jack usually starts, keep trying this string until by happenchance 
jack does start

Pulseaudio will now connect and remove X on speaker.
Go to cadence, make sure pulseaudio sync and start pulseaudio is 
enabled.
Do a Force Restart.
Now make sure the Syncs are shown in pulseauedio and that pulseaudio is 
not directly connected to 1818vsl as is sometimes the case.
=================================================

So anyone have an idea why I suddenly have these problems. Seems to be 
alsa, but getting ANY answer from alsa usergroup- is moot. Alsa seems to 
be totally dead... Probably the dreaded pulseaudio that killed them off, 
sad really.