Driving one LED from audio signal only with pnp transistor

ledpnp

How it's possible to turn on/off a single LED with the left (or right) sound channel of an audio jack and a pnp transistor.

Everywhere npn transistors are used. Like here:

  1. Driving LEDs from audio signal
  2. LED Color Organ Triple Deluxe

I'm very new to this topic and need the led control for a simple project of my computer science master thesis. My uncle gave me some old pnp transistors and I built something like this: enter image description here and this: enter image description here.

When I use my fingers the LED glow. But when I connect my audo jack and play a song, nothings happens or the LED glows very very (not visible) low. I thought, that the 5V will give the power although the audio jack has not enough power.

Are npn transitor needed or is there a very simple way to use pnp transistor to let the LED glow, when a smarthone plays a sound throuh the audio jack? A simple circuit diagram would be helpful.

(image source: http://www.talkingelectronics.com/projects/TheTransistorAmplifier/TheTransistorAmplifier-P1.html)

Best Answer

If the output voltage is high enough you could consider an emitter follower which has a high input impedance β*Zl and therefore hardly loads the jack.