Can anyone recommend.....?

[Pilfer8]

a good, affordable headset with a microphone for use with Vatsim.

Thanks.

Dan

[JSPuonti]

Not sure about your view on "affordable", but I can recommend a GOOD headset: Sennheiser PC 130

I have the PC 135 myself, which is a 130 with an add-on USB module (which can be used as a second sound card). I had my reasons for going for the USB model, but I was somewhat disappointed with the way the USB module compresses whatever sound the microphone picks up.

Fortunately the USB module is designed so that you can unplug the headset from it and then connect the headset directly to your computer just like the PC 130. This way no compression takes place and the headset's microphone really gets to shine. Promptly after buying mine, two of my friends who I play Battlefield 2 with went out and got themselves the PC 130 ;)

EDIT:

If you're curious about the difference, I did record a few comparison samples back when I got the headset. You can find them here:

http://www.puonti.net/stuff/microphone.zip

One sample is from my old Labtec headset, one from the PC 135 with the USB module and one without it.