[ALUG] Advice needed re Gnome 2.4, Alsa 0.9.8.1, esd and conflicts with /dev/dsp

I'm using a custom 2.4.20 kernel with a mixed testing/unstable version of Debian (based on Woody). Everything works great except for those programs that try and directly address the /dev/dsp device (which includes esd). It's OK while one program is doing this but the 2nd and subsequent tasks just hang until the device becomes free. 99.9% of the time this is not a problem just an irritation. However it does annoy me that if I load up, say, Doom, I have to remember to kill esd or Doom hangs. Also means that I can't have music and sound effects. I've googled myself to a standstill trying to figure out if I can resolve this or just have to live with it. Has anyone else had this problem and fixed it? Keith