FILES
        /var/lib/alsa/asound.state (or whatever file you specify with 
the -f flag) is used to store current settings for your soundcards.
    

What system is this ? On both Fedora and ArchLinux the default
is '/etc/asound.state'.

  
I believe that /var/lib/alsa is the default location in Debian.

J.E.B.